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This is the first paper that provides correlational evidence about how interacting with an online allophonic transcription tool helps learners of English as a Second Language (ESL) to improve their phonological awareness. The study investigates 55 advanced ESL learners at a Polish university enrolled in a course in English phonetics and phonology. The course placed heavy emphasis on reading and writing allophonic transcription based on the International Phonetic Alphabet. Apart from obligatory practice with traditional pen and paper worksheets, learners could also practise with a supplementary custom-designed web application that allowed them to enter the phonemic transcription of any word in order to receive its allophonic transcription. The results show that using this tool at least once during the course is associated with an expected increase in midterm test score of 5.03 percentage points, 95% CI [-10.61, 20.67]. The estimated benefit is higher for learners who space their usage of the tool; each additional distinct day of usage is associated with an additional increase in the expected midterm test score of 2.62 percentage points, 95% CI [-3.25, 8.49]. Additionally, some learners practised transcription on non-words, and these learners were observed to perform better on phonotactics-related assessment.

The development of efficient and reliable online assessments has become increasingly important in the digital era. We developed a 10-min online word reading assessment of global English based on the existing paper-and-pencil version of our English silent word reading test. The test includes two parts, namely, random word recognition and contextual word reading. A total of 889 participants (437 children and 392 adults; 62.7% female) took part in the study. They were from various regions including mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, Poland, the United States, and the Philippines. Reliability and validity analyses on various demographics samples (by age and country/region of origin) demonstrated that the WordSword Test is highly reliable and valid (e.g., the correlation of this test with other English reading measures were above.80). Education level was positively correlated with test performance, while the correlations between age and test performance were not consistent. Ninety-seven children participants also took the paper-and-pencil version of the WordSword Test. The correlation between performances on the online and paper-and-pencil versions of the test was.879, one year apart. With more children and adults taking the WordSword Test, we ultimately hope to establish norms by area, grade level, and age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education is the core of the factors that improved people for a better lifestyle and increases the level of society' development. Quality education is one of the most vital goals of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) due to actualizing these factors. Using relational network data envelopment analysis (DEA), which have three interrelated substages, this current paper computes the educational economy efficiency of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries bearing in mind the characteristics related to SDGs. The contribution of our study is the use of a novel approach to computing the educational economy efficiency using relational network DEA with GAMS. Even though some interesting differences reveal in the efficiency of the countries, the findings show that countries with high-efficiency scores are clustered around countries like Latvia, Slovenia, and Korea.

Online virtual worlds are becoming important tools in foreign/second language instruction in view of the fact that they enhance learner motivation, promote autonomy and social presence in a 3D environment. Virtual worlds are a type of reality in which students can meet and communicate with other learners in the target language using text, voice or video as well as share ideas related to language learning. Furthermore, virtual worlds provide learners with the opportunity to take part in virtual language courses or lessons as well as visit places connected with the target language culture. The aim of the study reported in this paper was to investigate the effectiveness of using online activities and a browser-based virtual world in teaching the second conditional in English. The sample consisted of 27 Polish senior high school students who were randomly divided into two groups: the treatment group (N = 13) and the control group (N = 14). The data were obtained by means of a grammar test administered before (prestest) and after the treatment (immediate posttest and two delayed posttests), a background questionnaire as well as an evaluation sheet, were analyzed quantitatively. The results indicate that the treatment students benefited from the instruction with the benefits being visible not only immediately after the treatment but also after four and eight weeks later.

The objective of this paper is an efficiency analysis concerning higher education systems in European countries. Data have been extracted from OECD data-sets (Education at a Glance, several years), using a non-parametric technique--data envelopment analysis--to calculate efficiency scores. This paper represents the first attempt to conduct such an efficiency analysis at a system-level in a cross-country comparison, while focusing only on tertiary education. The role of the public sector has also been analysed, by looking at the percentage of public spending devoted to higher education, and the way the public funds are used (channelled through private subsidies or directly assigned to institutions). It has been found that there is a small core of efficient units (e.g. Switzerland, United Kingdom), and that the influence of the public sector seems to play a role in determining efficiency scores. Many elements, related to critical policies, have also been analysed adopting a semi-parametric approach, to better explain the performances and efficiency differentials. Some key-policy implications have been derived. (Contains 12 notes, 11 tables, and 2 figures.)

With growing international interest in diversifying sites for pedagogical work within the doctorate, doctoral programmes of different kinds are being developed in different disciplinary, institutional and national settings. However, little is known about how the pedagogical work of these programmes is designed and enacted, and with what effects. In this paper, we present two cases of doctoral pedagogical work being undertaken within different disciplinary and institutional settings to describe how learning opportunities were designed and to theorise what it means to be engaged in doing doctoral pedagogy. Starting from the position that working from a design model supports systematic and rigorous documentation and development of pedagogy, we employ the twin concepts of design and action, drawing broadly on rhetorical and ethnomethodological understandings of pedagogy as social action. Of particular interest within the concept of design itself is the concept of enactment, the translation of designs into the practices of doctoral work. Together, the two cases become a resource for "slowing down" and making visible the practices of doctoral pedagogy that often go unrecognised because they appear so ordinary and everyday. This call for examining close-up existing doctoral education practices and relationships is attending to the "next challenge for doctoral education" (Green, 2009).

Abstract: Currently the amount of produced packaging waste, especially that of paper, cardboard, glass and plastics, is increasing year by year. Increasing packaging quantity has forced countries of the European Union to face this problem. The issue is reflected in EU legislation. The European Parliament and further amended by Directives 2004/12/WE and 2005/20/WE, belongs to binding resolutions passed by the European Union. The leading principle of the Directives was to introduce the obligation to provide adequate levels of waste packaging recovery and recycling. The obligation was defined as the percentage of waste packaging recovery and recycling which has to be achieved by EU member countries in relation to the aggregate weight of packaging introduced into the market. Aspiring to join the European Union, Poland was obliged to comply with the environmental protection requirements valid in the Community. Since 1 January 2002, the annual recycling levels of waste packaging are defined in the Ordinance of the Council of Ministers of 30 June 2001. The aim of the present work is to discuss and compare the required and achieved recycling levels of waste packaging (made of plastic, aluminium, paper and cardboard and glass) in Poland in the years 2002–2007 under the influence of EU directives. Featured data show that the required levels of recovery and waste packaging recycling were met and even exceeded in some cases. This result was influenced by the fact that Poland has been a member of the European Union since 1 May 2004. Hence, actions were enforced in Poland pertaining to waste packaging management as well as an obligation to the recycling levels dictated by European directives. An additional stimulus was constituted by a product charge for failing to comply with the recycling target levels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aim: Evidence shows that 20%–30% of patients who aspirate do so silently. Research to date has not demonstrated clear evidence to indicate which patients are at higher risk of silent aspiration. Our aim was to use univariate logistic regression analysis of retrospective case review to determine potential patterns of silent aspiration. Materials and methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 455 fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) reports. The patients were divided into four groups: G1 – neurological diseases (n = 93), G2 – head and neck surgery (n = 200), G3 – gastroenterological diseases (n = 94) and G4 – other patients (n = 68). Data included the occurrence or absence of saliva penetration or aspiration, of silent fluid/solid food penetration or aspiration, type of penetration or aspiration, occurrence of cranial nerve paresis, radiotherapy and tracheostomy. Univariate logistic regression was used to evaluate independent risk factors of silent aspiration in the study population. Three models with different independent variables were considered. Results: There is a statistically significant difference in the frequency of occurrence of silent penetration and aspiration within the groups (p < 0.001), with intraglutative being most frequent. Fluid and food penetration and aspiration correlated with saliva penetration and aspiration in all groups (p < 0.001). Cranial nerve paresis (IX and X), radiotherapy and tracheostomy correlate with saliva penetration and aspiration (p = 0.020 for cranial nerve paresis; p = 0.004 for radiotherapy; p < 0.001 for tracheostomy). One hundred and fifteen patients (45.81%) in the subgroup of patients with intraglutative aspiration had cranial nerve paresis (IX, X or IX–X). Conclusions: Patients who should be prioritised or considered to be at a higher need of instrumental swallowing evaluation are those with IX and X cranial nerve paresis, tracheostomy and those who have had radiotherapy, with saliva swallowing problems, especially after paraganglioma, thyroid and parathyroid glands and middle and posterior fossa tumour surgery. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Clinical signs of penetration or aspiration include coughing, throat clearing and voice changes, while silent penetration or aspiration patients aspirate without demonstrating any clinical symptoms. The most common consequences of silent aspiration include aspiration pneumonia, recurrent lower respiratory tract infections and respiratory failure. Additionally, malnutrition and dehydration can be indicators of silent aspiration. Patients may unknowingly reduce their oral intake and lose weight. Retrospective studies have shown that 20%–30% of patients aspirate silently (e.g. patients after stroke, acquired brain injury, head and neck cancer treatment, prolonged intubation). Clinical examination of swallowing can miss up to 50% of cases of silent aspiration. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: Currently, silent aspiration is often discussed in neurological literature, but its applications to head and neck surgery are limited. In this study, we identify head and neck surgery patients who should be prioritised or considered to be in higher need of instrumental swallowing evaluation due to a higher risk of silent aspiration. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Post‐treatment structural changes can result in lower cranial nerve paresis (IX, X, XII) and face injury, in which vagus and glossopharyngeal nerves are injured. After tracheostomy and radiotherapy, patients with problems swallowing saliva need careful clinical examination, particularly cranial nerve examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of wind energy has been observed for many years. Both construction firms and the scientific world are analyzing new design solutions, atmospheric conditions and the technical performance achieved. The main goal of this research is to evaluate the requirements that have to be met to design wind power stations that would be an optimal fit for the climatic conditions in Poland. This study combines the results of empirical studies on wind velocity distributions with the physical fundamentals of wind power station design. This paper presents modelling of the relationships between wind velocity distributions observed in Poland and technical requirements for wind power stations design. The wind velocities distributions for various locations in Poland are determined and expressed in Weibull distribution parameters. Theoretical computations concerning the dependence of wind power stations as function of wind speed and air's physical properties are presented. Conclusions important for the design of power stations fitted to the atmospheric conditions in Poland are given. LabVIEW 2021 was used for computer modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the possibility of using the GTFS standard to describe the public transport (PT) stop infrastructure in Poland, was evaluated. It was also proposed to expand the existing GTFS file of the ZTM (PT authority) in Poznań to include a detailed description of a selected two-level tram stop. A testbed equipped with open source software was built and used for this purpose. The study showed that despite the fact that in Poland, PT organizers and operators do not provide detailed information on its accessibility to people with disabilities, the preparation of such information is possible, while modifications to the data generated so far may be required, especially regarding the stops. However, the preparation and updating of this data on a nationwide scale may pose a problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper is to identify and assess changes in the financial situation of municipalities without Polish towns in Poland against the background of the whole country in the years 2010-2021. The empirical material of the paper concerns both the whole country and all municipalities without poviat towns in Poland. The numerical data comes from the Warsaw Central Statistics Office Local Data Bank and cover the years 2010-2021. The collected and ordered empirical material was elaborated in descriptive, tabular, and graphical form, using the method of comparative analysis. Furthermore, a point evaluation of all diagnostic features was made that illustrates the financial situation of municipalities without cities in Poland against the background of the entire country for the years 2010-2021, which constitutes a new approach to the research problem undertaken in the article. The analysis of the statistical data confirmed the research hypothesis assuming that the presence of a city, especially a bigger one, is a significant factor positively and permanently influencing the financial situation of communes without cities with poviat rights in Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the scale and directions of inter-voivodship migration in Poland in selected years of the 2000-2020 period. The study focused on permanent residence migration and aimed to identify areas of migration attractiveness and migration catchment voivodships. To study the stochastic nature of these migrations, a Markov chain model was used, in which the states were voivodships. An important aspect of the study involved determining the properties of the transition probability matrix as well as stationary probability in order to characterise the mechanism of inter-voivodship migrations in the years 2000, 2010 and 2020. Data obtained from Statistics Poland were used in the analysis. The transition probability matrix showed that the states were connected and irreducible to each other, while the stationary probability of migration to Dolnos' aliskie, Małopolskie, Pomorskie, and Wielkopolskie voivodships increased in 2020 compared to 2000. The analysis of the mechanism of migration in the years 2000, 2010, 2020 indicated that Mazowieckie Voivodship was still the main destination for migrants, with the highest stationary probability reaching 0.18 in 2010. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research objective was to determine whether and to what extent SAR data can be used to determine changes in the water level in small glacial lakes (with an area of ~1 km2). The research object was Lake Biskupińskie - a small post-glacial lake in central Poland. As part of the research, a methodology for determining water level in small-area lakes based on radar data was developed, the potential for determining lake water levels using high- and medium-resolution SAR data was determined, and the results were verified against field measurements. The analyses employed data from two satellites, TerraSAR-X and Sentinel-1. The research confirmed the effectiveness of using SAR data to determine water-level fluctuations in small glacial lakes. The proposed methodology for working with data from the Sentinel-1 satellite allows for accurate estimation of WLF based on the results of interferometric analyses. Comparative analysis of the radar data results (lake surface) and field measurements (water level) were fully consistent with the data from TerraSAR-X and partially consistent with the data from Sentinel-1. The methodology of radar data analysis to determine WLF proposed in the paper has major research and applied potential, especially in the reconstruction of historical lake water levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Vitiligo is a chronic skin condition caused by progressive cutaneous hypomelanosis. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine its epidemiology and clinical aspects. As considerable progress has been made in understanding of the pathogenesis of vitiligo and its classification as an autoimmune disease, the paper pays particular attention to coexisting autoimmune or atopic diseases. Material and methods: The study included 55 patients attending the Diagnostic and Treatment Center of Skin Diseases in Lodz. Data were collected during outpatient dermatological consultation. Results: The most common type of vitiligo was nonsegmental (85.5%) followed by segmental (12.7%) and unclassified (2.1%). The first skin lesions were mostly located on the hands (45.5%) and face (38.2%). Older patients with higher body mass index tended to demonstrate a higher body surface area. Of the patients, 63.6% demonstrated an autoimmune or atopic comorbidity, the most common of which were type 1 diabetes mellitus (18.2%), psoriasis (16.4%) or Hashimoto's thyroiditis (14.5%). Location on the face was associated with a significantly greater incidence of autoimmune or atopic co-morbidities. Conclusions: A facial location may serve as a predictive factor for other autoimmune or atopic diseases in vitiligo patients. Determining clinical factors in vitiligo patients which could be associated with a higher risk of autoimmune comorbidities may allow for their early diagnosis and suitable treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Long-Term Care Nursing / Pielegniarstwo w Opiece Dlugoterminowej is the property of Termedia Publishing House 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.)

Anthropogenic activity changes the processes of erosion on slopes. The deforestation process is connected with the deposition of material at the foot of the slope. During this process, macro-charcoals from anthropogenic-induced fires are trapped in the sediments. This paper provides an analysis of charcoal counts and sediment characteristics and is supported by historical data analysis. During this study, a discrepancy between radiocarbon dating and historical data was revealed; a probable explanation is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Long-Term Care Nursing / Pielegniarstwo w Opiece Dlugoterminowej is the property of Termedia Publishing House 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.)

Many real 3D objects have complex geometric shapes in various types of analyses. Image of these objects is recorded in the form of a 2D map. In the analysis, a simplification of this image to basic 2D figures with defined geometry is often needed. The paper presents an analysis of the geometry of a flat image (an image of a 3D object) using regular polygons. Geometry properties (F form, C centroid, S size) were determined to describe the object. Various criteria of selection of the 'best ' regular n-sided polygon for a given 2D object (solved theoretically) were put forward. In the paper, criteria for describing a 2D object by regular n-sided polygons were defined on the basis of determining the measure of object shape elongation (e). In the 'blind ' theoretical example, it was tested whether the individual shape measures listed in the paper allow for correct identification of the shapes of given 2D objects. The practical application of measures is illustrated by two actual examples. While in the first example the shape of the Canary Islands is analysed, the second example describes the shape of Poland 's borders. Actual examples deliver different results for different measures. In effect, there is no clear objective criterion for selecting a polygon shape. The simplifications of the shape of an object presented in the paper should not be equated with the object 's generalization. Such simplifications are used in GIS to visualize geographic analyses based on the data available in the primary database, because the object will retain the character of the shape in the simplest possible geometry and neighborhood, and does not lose any of the scope and accuracy of the attributes assigned to a given object in the database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Occupational stress-related factors among working municipal police officers in Poland have not been examined in the literature. The purpose of the paper was to evaluate the impact of selected work-related factors on occupational stress in active municipal police officers in Warsaw by using configural frequency analysis (CFA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 578 participants, which accounted for 55.1% of all municipal police officers in Warsaw. The majority of study participants were men (72%) (mean age 43 years old). Two groups of workplace-related stress factors were analysed in the study: physical conditions and organisational working conditions causing stress. The study was carried out using the PAPI method (Paper-and-Pencil Interviewing), based on a proprietary questionnaire developed for the study. CFA searches for templates and patterns in contingency tables. RESULTS: Municipal police officers who claimed that stress did not affect health, took advantage of psychological/psychiatric advice less often than those who thought so (1.7% vs 10.1%; χ2 = 20.152, df = 2, P = 0.000). Those who declared that they often experienced stress at work were also more prone to claiming that one or two factors affected their level of stress: physical abuse, contact with infectious materials, working at uncomfortable temperatures or working in a noisy environment. In the opinion of the study population, there were some factors which contributed to the occurrence of stress at work, and these factors included: working in a hurry, lack of necessary resources, devices and materials at work, the need to be available at all times and the unpredictability of the work. The municipal police officers from the study population combined two or three methods to cope with stress, such as watching TV, surfing the Internet and talking with their families. CONCLUSION: Due to the specificity of a municipal police officer's occupation, special attention should be paid to the occupational stress risk factors characteristic for this group of professionals, and measures should be taken to reduce the number of stressors. It is important to organise training events devoted to effective methods of coping with stress. There is need to carry out more in-depth studies of occupational stress among municipal police officers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The main aim of the article was to conduct a comparative analysis of transport availability divided into voivodeships in Poland. For this purpose, data on the number of regular, urban, suburban and long-distance lines from all voivodeships in Poland was collected and analyzed in terms of changes over the years and existing correlations. Design/methodology/approach: The research used basic data analysis, sign test and correlation study. Findings: The problem of transport exclusion in Poland is noticeable. It especially concerns residents of villages and small towns. Research results indicate that this problem has become more serious in recent years due to the reduction in the number of available connections. Originality/value: The article presents original research on the change in the number of connections over the years and the correlation between the number of inhabitants and the number of bus connections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study relates to the problem of cluster management in the conditions of sustainable development. Against the background of the assumptions and conditions for sustainable development, the specificity of the cluster activity in the conditions of the Polish economy has been presented. The objective of the paper is to characterize the cluster management standards in Poland. Such standards have been formalized and published lately with the recommendation for their application by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development. They constitute the response to the low level of the existing cluster management and lack of the system approach to the issue of the preparation of professional coordinators, whose significance is crucial for the cluster success. In the paper, the methods of literature study and the analysis of secondary data have been applied. The paper begins with the characteristics of the principles of sustainable development and their impact on the cluster activity. It also indicates the role and significance of clusters in the contemporary economy. Subsequently, the author has conducted the analysis of cluster activities in Poland. The last part of the paper refers to the Polish standards for cluster management as well as the conclusions and recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to identify the image of Ukrainians in the headlines found in the Polish electronic press. This study uses content analysis as an initial tool for outlining the content of the headlines as well as for classifying them according to the main feature. The analytical data consist of the headlines published on Polska Times website (www.polskatimes.pl) between 2015-2019 and tagged "Ukrainian" or "Ukrainians" (N=194). In reference to previous studies, this paper aims to expand existing knowledge regarding the role and functions of press headlines by examining the Polish electronic press. The quantitative analysis shows that, although informative headlines still dominate, their proportion has been declining since 2017 (from 50 to 35 per cent). At the same time, the proportion of enigmatic, or intriguing headlines has been increasing (from 21 to 30 per cent). An engaging, often rhetorical question appears in about 11 per cent of the research material. Moreover, the percentage of poetic and stereotypical headlines is relatively small (on average about 9 per cent each year). Historical disputes are also rarely mentioned in the research corpus (about 5 per cent each year). The length of the headlines, which in the entire analyzed period was between 76 and 88 characters including spaces, did not change significantly. In conclusion, this study makes it possible to record the main strategies of the Polish electronic press related to showing Ukrainians, whose visibility in Poland was increasing between 2015 and 2019. This is clearly confirmed by the more than six-fold increase in the number of headlines compared to 2015 and 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste management in the new EU member states is currently undergoing rapid development in order to comply with the European legislation. In Poland there is a lack of capacity of waste treatment installations for residual waste which amounts to 5.5 million tonnes year−1. Detailed data on waste generation is needed to design new installations and ensure their efficient operation. This paper presents the results of the monitoring of municipal waste generation in Warsaw, being one of the largest agglomerations in the region. Detailed quantitative and qualitative results for both household and institutional waste are provided, as well as the technological properties of the household waste. The amount of municipal waste generated per capita amounted to 390 kg year−1. The main fractions contributing to the mixed household waste were: biodegradable kitchen waste, packaging plastics, non-packaging paper and cardboard, packaging glass and packaging paper and cardboard. The coarse fraction (> 100 mm) constituted 40% of total household waste, of which the majority were recyclables. The lower heating value of residual waste was sufficient to allow mass incineration. Data on historical developments of household waste quantities and composition since the year 2000 along with their estimates until the year 2020 are provided and discussed. Current problems of municipal waste management in Warsaw along with the proposed future solutions are briefly outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper presents the issues related to the development of electronic commerce. Design/methodology/approach: The study used world-bank reports from statista portal. Findings: The purpose of this article is to present the development of electronic commerce and investment climate of Poland on the example of Lower Silesia created by economic, social, political and legal-administrative conditions. The economic conditions inform the foreign investor about the condition of the economy of the country receiving the investment. Functioning types of e-business and basic business models used in e-commerce were also presented. Furthermore, they were characterized by payment methods used in online sales. Based on a chart developed on the basis of statistical data analysis of consumer-preferred online payment methods was also made. Originality/value: The publication presents the results of research conducted on the basis of statista international portal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Busse P. 2020. An analysis of orientation cage field data - a case study of headings of the Blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla, at the Bukowo/Kopañ ringing site in Poland. Ring 42: 51-74. One of the most effective methods of studying the migratory patterns of nocturnal passerine migrants is the use of orientation cages as a supplementary procedure at ringing sites. The most comprehensive studies using orientation cages (Busse's Flat Orientation Cage) were conducted within the SEEN network (SE European Bird Migration Network), with more than 43,000 tests performed at more than 40 ringing sites in autumn. A number of papers were published based on these data, presenting an overall pattern of passerine migration over SE Europe-Middle East-NE Africa. For more detailed analyses, it was first necessary to solve some methodical problems within case studies. The current work presents details for discussion based on data from 1338 tests of Blackcaps performed during the years 1995-2010 at a single ringing station, Bukowo/Kopañ, located on the Polish Baltic coast. The birds were tested according to the standard methodology of the SEEN network (Busse 2000). The problems investigated were (1) the repeatability of heading patterns obtained in different years, (2) the linearity of the estimated arrival and departure headings, and (3) quantitative aspects of the results in the description of the heading pattern when migratory groups are found. It was determined that (1) yearly heading patterns were generally coherent and could be analysed as uniform case data; (2-1) the hypothesis that the arrival/departure heading axes are generally linear is accurate to within about one 10° sector, at least in the case of the Blackcap. This is coherent with impressions from other known data sets, but does not mean that the rule always applies to all species at every location on the migration route. In the future, this problem should be studied on a more detailed scale. It was further established that (2-2) estimating arrival and departure headings makes it possible to define migratory groups (populations) passing the study site. The direct heading estimation procedure seems to be more sensitive in identifying migratory groups than the calculation procedure. Moreover, (3-1) the calculation procedure makes it possible to estimate some quantitative properties of headings of migratory groups and define some interesting, though preliminary, number patterns of local migratory patterns; (3-2) the number relations between birds demonstrating the arrival and departure headings of the migratory group seem to be an interesting parameter for study on the distance of migration of groups within a species and, possibly, between species. This is another interesting problem that cage tests could be used to solve in the future. Finally, (3-3) knowledge about trends of individual populations passing the defined site becomes accessible only using analysis of data from orientation cages. The estimated quantitative indices discussed above could be helpful in presenting the general migratory pattern of the species on a geographical scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The article aims at evaluating the automation and robotization development status in Poland, recognizing the key factors influencing the technology development in Polish enterprises and identifying the existing support in the given scope. Design/methodology/approach: Data from secondary sources were used for the analysis in this article. The secondary data came from internal sources, such statistical offices, government administration authorities, studies and publications. Data were collected and analyzed using Excel. Findings: The data analysis performed for the automation and robotization status in Poland shows that the available statistics are highly limited. Only one institution is currently performing large-scale research on the global robotization, while automation in Polish enterprises was researched by Statistics Poland up to 2015. If there are reports containing data on the automation status, they are very limited and recognized differently. Owing to the above, data comparison from various periods of time and various industries is challenging. Originality/value (mandatory) The paper presents the detailed automation and robotization development status analysis in Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the business and data analytics community, intuition has not been discussed widely in terms of its application to executive decision-making. However, the purpose of this paper is to focus on new global research that combines intuition, trust and analytics in terms of how well C-level executives trust their intuition. Design/methodology/approach: Our Fulbright research, as described in this paper and performed by colleagues from the United States, Canada, Poland and Italy, examines executives' as well as other less experienced employees' preferences for different types of intuition versus data analysis. This study set out to better understand the degree to which executives prefer intuition versus analysis and the relationship between these approaches to decision-making. Our research combines elements of a review, a cross-cultural/cross-company survey study and a biometrics study in interoception. The research team has a multidisciplinary background in business, information technology, strategy, trust management, statistics and neuroscience. Findings: Based on our research, the main findings are as follows. The use of and preference for intuition types change as employees gain more experience. However, there may be intuition styles that are more static and trait-like, which are linked to roles, differentiating managers from leaders. Using "inferential intuition" and "seeing the big picture" go hand in hand. Listening to your body signals can promote improved intuition. Cross-cultural differences may impact executive decision-making. Executives often prefer to use their intuition over analysis/analytics. Research limitations/implications: This research could be expanded to have a larger sample size of C-level executives. We had 172 responses with 65% C-level executives and 12% directors. However, a recent survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit on intuition used by executives had a sample of 174 executives around the world, which is comparable with our sample size. Practical implications: From our research, executives should continue to apply their experiential learning through intuition to complement their use of data in making strategic decisions. We have often discounted the use of intuition in executive decision-making, but our research highlights the importance of making it a critical part of the executive decision-making process. Originality/value: Based on the results of our survey and biometrics research, executives apply their intuition to gain greater confidence in their decision-making. Listening to their body signals can also improve their intuitive executive awareness. This complements their use of data and analytics when making executive decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public guarantee programmes aim to improve access to financing for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and support entrepreneurship. The objective of our paper is to present and assess the de minimis guarantee programme for SMEs in the wholesale and retail trade sector in Poland. In detail, we analyze changes in the number and value of credit guarantees from national and regional perspectives. The research period covers the first eight years of the program functioning, i.e., 2013-2020. Data was gathered from Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK), a Polish national development bank. The study reveals visible fluctuations in the number and value of de minimis guarantees obtained by the SMEs in the wholesale and retail trade sector. However, in 2019-2020 we observed their substantial growth. SMEs in the analysed sector primarily use the de minimis guarantee programme to secure revolving working capital loans. Micro-enterprises obtain 75% of the total number and 40% of the total value of guarantees. We observe substantial regional differences in the number and value of granted guarantees among 16 Polish voivodeships rooted in the voivodeship size. The t-test analysis confirmed that both numbers and values of credit guarantees are significantly greater in 2019-2020, at a 1% significance level. Such results may indicate an increased need for external support for analysed SMEs due to changes in the de minimis guarantee program, stricter bank lending policy and the harmful effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that consumer behaviour in the organic foods market has been the subject of numerous studies in various countries around the world, little research has been devoted to the assessment of the importance of the altruistic behaviour of consumers who prefer a local origin of such food. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to determine the motives of organic food consumers for their interest in the local origin of food in the context of behaviour defined as either altruistic or egoistic. The study was carried out among 850 consumers of organic foods in Poland. The Kruskal–Wallis test and Dunn's post hoc test were used for the analysis of empirical data. This study shows that the emphasis on the importance of the local origin of this kind of food by organic food consumers is related to their awareness of the needs of other people; specifically, this is demonstrated by these consumers taking into account the importance of caring for the natural environment in their purchasing decisions. Therefore, this is an example of altruistic behaviour which also fits into the concept of reflexive localism. It was further determined that this consumer group has a stronger and more robust relationship with the organic food market than the market's other members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Scientific Journal European Policies, Finance & Marketing / Polityki Europejskie, Finanse & Marketing is the property of Wydawnictwo SGGW 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 Archives of Environmental Protection is the property of 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.)

An analysis of survey data is a fundamental part of research concerning various aspects of human behavior. Such survey data are often discrete, and the size of the collected sample is regularly insufficient for the most potent modelling tools such as logistic regression, clustering, and other data mining techniques. In this paper, we take a closer look at the results of the stated preference survey analyzing how inhabitants of cities in Thailand, Poland, and Czechia understand and perceive "smartness" of a city. An international survey was conducted, where respondents were asked 15 questions. Since the most common data modelling tools failed to provide a useful insight into the relationship between variables, so-called lambda coefficient was used and its usefulness for such challenging data was verified. It uses the principle of conditional probability and proves to be truly useful even in data sets with relatively small sample size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrestrial gastropods are keenly sensitive to changes in vegetation structure owing to their dependence on moisture. For this reason, low survivorship and recolonisation are to be expected after a fire. The fire described in this paper probably started as a result of the deliberate spring burning of vegetation that got out of control. Analysis of the data collected immediately after the fire does not reveal significant differences in the numbers of snails between habitats. This suggests that there are no refugia for this population: no vegetation-related refugium was confirmed. After the fire, snail numbers were found to have crashed, but the slight increase during the season could have been an indication of incipient recovery. Because the population of this species was consistently small, no differences in survivorship between habitats, regardless of their type, were discernible. The effects of the fire on this population in the River Nida Inland Delta were devastating: while it did survive the fire, its numbers fell sharply, by as much as two orders of magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Annals of the Polish Association of Agricultural & Agribusiness Economists is the property of Polish Association of Agricultural & Agribusiness Economists 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 paper is focused on the palaeographic development of the western part of the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland, during the maximum extent of the Sanian 2 (MIS 12) ice sheet and its retreat. The studies were based on archival cartographic data, coupled with new lithological and petrographic analyses of limni- and fluvioglacial sands, i.e., grain-size composition, quartz grain morphology and heavy mineral analysis, as well as analysis of the erratic material of tills. The results confirm the regional variability of the erratic material in the Sanian 2 tills and point to the long-term development of fluvioglacial sands cover documenting cold climate conditions. They also evidence that the western part of the Holy Cross Mountains was the area where two oppositely directed ice sheet lobes (Radoszyce and Sandomierz) advanced during the Sanian 2 Glaciation and that deglaciation of the area took place in two stages. Huge quantities of meltwater released at that time contributed to the intensification of earlier initiated karst phenomena, as well as filling of the existing caves by fluvioglacial sands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current demographic changes require greater participation of people aged 50 or older in the labour market. Previous research shows that the chances of returning to employment decrease with the length of the unemployment period. In the case of older people who have not reached the statutory retirement age, these chances also depend on the time they have left to retirement. Our study aims to assess the probability of leaving unemployment for people aged 50-71 based on their characteristics and the length of the unemployment period. We use data from the Labour Force Survey for 2019-2020. The key factors determining employment status are identified using the proportional hazard model. We take these factors into account and use the direct adjusted survival curve to show how the probability of returning to work in Poland changes as people age. Due to the fact that not many people take up employment around their retirement age, an in-depth evaluation of the accuracy of predictions obtained via the models is crucial to assess the results. Hence, in this paper, a time-dependent ROC curve is used. Our results indicate that the key factor that influences the return to work after an unemployment period in the case of older people in Poland is whether they reached the age of 60. Other factors that proved important in this context are the sex and the education level of older people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is devoted to the analysis of the role played by the dynamic capabilities of IT in shaping the job performance of contemporary employees. It also discusses teamwork as a factor playing a key role in such a relationship, showing that dynamic IT capabilities have the potential to support teamwork in an organisation. Empirical research was conducted in order to verify the existence of such a relationship. The research was done based on a questionnaire as a tool for data collection, and the sample contained 246 organisations operating in Poland. Statistical analysis of data was performed using linear regression analysis with mediators and moderators. The results show that teamwork is a mediator of the relationship between dynamic IT capabilities and job performance. Moreover, the level of organisational dynamics was verified as a moderator of said relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research was taken up because of the author's interests. The author is an active participant of all mass events in Poland and goes to music festivals at least once a year. Being an attendee of such festivals and also a member of the community under investigation, the author started to notice the recurring behaviour of the visitors. The author's main interest in this area is the motives the clients of the entertainment industry have when choosing the form of spending free time and how the organisers of music festivals in Poland can influence this decision. In order to gather the necessary data, the author used the theoretical division of client layers offered by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne in the 'Blue Ocean Strategy'. The data have also been supplemented with the author's own knowledge about the practical side of this problem. By constructing an extensive yet very interesting form, the author got 1000 answers altogether related to the position of Poles in the surveyed area. Using a number of recommendations from the Marketing and Strategy positions, the collected results have been supplemented with noteworthy theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poland was one of the first countries of Central and Eastern Europe with stable wolf populations to effectively introduce year-round protection of the species. This paper traces the process of policy change using institutional theory as an organizational perspective. Based on the analysis of data from desk research and semi-structured interviews, we propose a model of institutional change and argue that in the 1990s, environmental activists and wildlife biologists successfully used a political window of opportunity connected with socio-economic transformation after 1989 and managed to induce the government to move the species from the domain of hunting to the domain of nature conservation. The new policy, informed by an ecological paradigm, diverged from the historical path dominated by hunters and the vision of the wolf as a pest and a hunting target. The improved protection led to the numerical growth of Poland's wolves and ultimately to their westward expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine motivations of social activists in informal initiatives and to understand why they opt for this more spontaneous and self-organized activism while openly defying the hitherto established way of founding non-governmental organizations.Design/methodology/approach On the basis of a case study of Poland, which had one of the most vibrant civil societies in the socialist region, it is argued that the characteristics ascribed to the functioning of civil society after the toppling of socialism are not reflected in its more recent state. A broader definition of civil society and social activism is suggested to include new types of informal activism, which tend to be over-looked and under-studied. The analysis is built on qualitative and quantitative data gathered in 2014-2015.Findings The argument put forward is that un-institutionalized engagement is qualitatively different from its formal and institutionalized counterpart. The recent growth of informal activism is indicative of a rebirth of communitarian engagement in Polish civil society and a reaction to the underside of its institutionalization.Originality/value In spite of the seminal role played by societal self-organization in the overturning of the socialist system in Eastern European countries, the development of civil society in the region after 1989 has been repeatedly described as passive and characterized by distrustful or individualist attitudes. However, these civil societies have been changing since, and these more recent developments have been neglected by scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A healthy lifestyle is a key determinant of health, especially for people with chronic diseases such as diabetes or hypertension. The health behaviours which contribute to a healthy lifestyle include the following: regular physical activity, preventive examinations, maintaining a proper diet and avoiding the consumption of alcohol or cigarettes. They have a significant impact on the disease process, controlling symptoms and preventing complications. The aim of this study was to examine the health behaviours related to diet, physical activity and prevention among Polish primary health care patients and to identify predictors of health behaviours. For this reason, the standardized Health Behaviour Scale (HBS) questionnaire was used. The study was conducted among 269 patients (including 61.71% women) in primary health care facilities. The mean age of participants was 52.89 years (±17.76). The mean HBS score was 36.93 ± 9.66. A statistically significant association was found between HBS scores and such sociodemographic variables as education (p = 0.0061, r = 0.17), body mass index (p = 0.0018, r = −0.20, β = −0.36) and self-assessed economic status (p = 0.0094, r = 0.16). Women's health behaviours as measured by HBS were significantly better than men's (p < 0.001, β = −6.82). A special focus should be given to the groups manifesting poorer health behaviours (e.g., men, older people and persons with low socioeconomic status) by offering them tailored health-promoting interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The study aimed to assess the occurrence of body posture disorders and their changes under the influence of a physioprophylactic program in children depending on body weight. Methods: In the examined children, the general and segmental body composition and body posture were determined using a physiotherapeutic assessment based on the Kasperczyk method. Mass, overall, and segmental body composition were determined using the bioelectrical impedance method using a TANITA body composition analyzer. The study group of 76 children was divided due to body weight disorders into Group I (n = 51), in which BMI and fat mass values were within the normative limits for age and gender, and Group II (n = 19), comprising children whose body weight exceeded the norm and/or fat mass exceeded normative values. The examined children underwent a physioprophylactic. The program was conducted by qualified physiotherapists for 12 weeks, once a week for 30 min. The therapeutic program was focused on physioprevention of being overweight and the correction of body posture. Results: A distal distribution of fat mass was observed in the examined group. Asymmetry in the sagittal plane was found in 35% of children. No statistically significant differences were found in the presence of asymmetry in the sagittal plane between the groups. No statistically significant differences were found in the occurrence of posture irregularities between the groups. Conclusions: There were no changes in the weight and body posture of the examined children under the influence of the physiotherapy program. The lack of correlation in the examined group between body weight and posture irregularities in 5–6-year-olds may suggest the acquisition of posture defects as a consequence of the persistence of overweight or obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation: Although some authors have claimed that sports clubs generate revenues from more different sources than do other non-profit organizations, relevant research is lacking. Aim: To fill this gap, this paper compares sports clubs with other non-profit organizations in terms of the (1) revenue structure and (2) revenue sources. The analysis used data from the financial reports of all public benefit organizations (PBOs) registered in 2015, thereby covering the whole population. Thus, exploratory methods were used to compare 679 sports clubs having PBO status with other 6 816 registered PBOs. Results: A greater share of sports clubs (SCs) than other PBOs exploits public funding, particularly subsidies from local self-governments. SCs also rely on membership fees and other revenues (such as business activities and sponsorship) more than do other organizations. These results contribute to the knowledge of financial specificity of non-profit sports clubs and show which revenue sources could be used by clubs to a greater extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]