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Copyright of Przeglad Socjologiczny is the property of Lodz Scientific Society / Lodzkie Towarzystwo Naukowe 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 Media Studies / Studia Medioznawcze is the property of Media Studies 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 Central European Political Studies / Środkowoeuropejskie Studia Polityczne is the property of Faculty of Political Science & Journalism, Adam Mickiewicz University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Measurement errors due to failure to obtain the required data from the selected sample (non-response errors) are a matter of great methodological concern to current survey researchers. The author assumes that respondents' attitude to the questionnaire is largely determined by social conditions and maintains that in order to minimise this error (and achieve a satisfactory response rate) these conditions should be taken into account in the course of survey design, during the preparatory stage (interviewer selection and training: when specifying the timeline and number of contacts with individual respondents). implementation stage (interviewer monitoring) and control stage (back-checks). Although there are many ways to enhance response rates, the paper focuses on response-maximisation techniques applied in the European Social Survey that achieved a response rate of more than 70%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on hermeneutics, cultural anthropology and critical social theory, this article analyses different ways of 'speaking about the European Union'. Firstly, it argues that 'Europe' should be seen as an imagined space to which different social and political actors attribute different meanings over time. Secondly, it points out that intersubjective moment of (self-)identifi cation of Europe is of paramount importance for what is Europe today, especially in context of postmodernity and contemporary technocratic modes of the EU governance. Lastly, it calls for establishment of Critical European Studies and puts an emphasis on the role academic critique in 'speaking about the EU'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Henryk Genello was an architect who rendered great service for the Polish railway architecture during the 2nd Polish Republic. Together with engineer and architect Hipolit Hryncewicz, he designed around 50 railway stations in the Eastern borderlands, in the Vilnius Headquarters of the State Railways. In the 20s of the 20th century, he was designing in national style, while at the end of the 20s his designs already bore distinct modernist traits, and in the 30s they became totally functionalist. A valuable realisation of Genello and Hryncewicz was a representative "modernised" railway station on the border in Stofpce, essential for the evolution of Polish railway architecture of the 2nd Polish Republic. At the turn of the 20s and 30s of the 20th century, Genello designed railway stations on the Ustroń - Wisła line. They were realised in national style, partly wooden, inspired by the Polish mountain resort architecture of Zakopane. Another important Genello's realisation of 1935 was a small building of a railway stop - Zułów, which in the 2nd Polish Republic had a memorative character of Marshall Piłsudski silhouette. It probably was the last "national" realisation in the Polish railway architecture. His works done in this style were characterised by simplicity, pure form, and drew on local types and motives of Polish architecture. Undoubtedly, Henryk Genello was better fulfilled when he designed in the earlier, historicising style, creating his own type inspired by local motives. His later functional realisations are characterised by simplicity, pared-down and austere form of elevations deprived of detail. It is certain that Genello belonged to the most important railway architects of the 2nd Polish Republic, working since 1932 as adviser in the Ministry of Transport, he shaped railway architecture of that time from its administrative and technical side. The same function Genello performed during the first years after the war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does two/multi-speed Europe constitute a threat to future European integration or is it already a long-standing reality of the European Union? As the first months of 2017 have shown, the future of integration will be about more differentiation, so this seems a good moment to reflect on the types of differentiation we are facing. Is it about different integration speed at the policy level or about segmentation at the institutional/constitutional level? This article looks at various logics of differentiation, while pointing to the dilemmas that EU peripheral countries face with regard to the eurozone centre as well as the limits of the “rebel” strategy as opposed to the “policy-taker” strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

The article focuses on the impact of the Enlightenment on university organization in Europe. Topics discussed include the reformation of old universities as an educational institution and also an institution for scientific research; the reform at the old Jesuit Vilnius Academy which transformed it into the Principal School of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania; and the role of ex-Jesuit and astronomer Marcin Poczobut-Odlanicki in the formation of a modern university at the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Also mentioned is Poczobut-Odlanicki as a man of the Enlightenment and a science enthusiast.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Copyright of eFinanse is the property of Sciendo 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.)

Researchers of Belorussia point out the existence of the term “mixed world” in the language of local people. It is quite similar to cultural borderland, but it is also used to descript sudden changes (historical, political and socio-cultural) as well as their consequences. The aim of the authoress is to popularize mentioned term and to show it might be used by anthropologists to describe the examined reality, contemporary as well as past, existing in people's memory. Selected examples from Europe are used to show the possibilities of using the concept of mixed world to describe the multicultural societies, migrations, EU enlargement or - in general - cultural borderlands and their changes. The authoress asks about the factors contributing to the mixed world. She underlines that every researcher using his own examples can present his own image of mixed world. It is a part of reality in which we live or which we reproduce from the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

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

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

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is relatively novel branch of medical science, however first descriptions of mouth-to-mouth ventilation are to be found in the Bible and literature is full of descriptions of different resuscitation methods - from flagellation and ventilation with bellows through hanging the victims upside down and compressing the chest in order to stimulate ventilation to rectal fumigation with tobacco smoke. The modern history of CPR starts with Kouwenhoven et al. who in 1960 published a paper regarding heart massage through chest compressions. Shortly after that in 1961Peter Safar presented a paradigm promoting opening the airway, performing rescue breaths and chest compressions. First CPR guidelines were published in 1966. Since that time guidelines were modified and improved numerously by two leading world expert organizations ERC (European Resuscitation Council) and AHA (American Heart Association) and published in a new version every 5 years. Currently 2010 guidelines should be obliged. In this paper authors made an attempt to present history of development of resuscitation techniques and methods and assess the influence of previous lifesaving methods on nowadays technologies, equipment and guidelines which allow to help those women and men whose life is in danger due to sudden cardiac arrest., (© 2015 MEDPRESS.)

Introduction: Schizophrenia is a chronic and one of the most severe mental disorders. From many years studies regarding mortality among people suffering from schizophrenia are being conducted as a way of controlling indirectly the effectiveness of medical care and therapy., Aim: The aim of this paper was to determine the course of studies of mortality in schizophrenia and to analyze possibilities of using this kind of studies to evaluate changes in mental care system in Poland., Material: This paper is a review of European literature concerning studies of mortality in schizophrenia. Most of the analyzed publications were created in Northern and Western Europe. There are no international publications originating from Southern and Eastern Europe. Directions of current studies include changes of causes of death in persons with a diagnosis of schizophrenia over years, coexistence of somatic diseases, medicine's impact on mortality in schizophrenia and worse access to medical care in comparison to mentally healthy people., Conclusions: Mortality in schizophrenia is a useful factor in clinical studies enabling evaluation health effects of changes in mental health care system, what allows creation of system based on scientific evidence.

The paper presents basic epidemiological, electrophysiological and therapeutical differences of cardiac arrhythmias depended on gender. Inadequate sinus tachycardia, orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia are more common in women as well as prolongation of QT interval and proarrhythmic phenomenon (especially torsade de pointes). Atrial fibrillation, although significantly less common in women, is more onerous, therapeutic aims are worse to achieve and outcomes are less favourable than in men. European guidelines do not recommend different pharmacological treatement of supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias in relation to gender. Older antyarrhythmic drugs (beta-adrenolytics, amiodarone, sotalol) and as well as newer ones (dronedarone, ivabradine, vernakalant and ranolazine) seem to have the same influence on arrthythmias both in men and women, althouth their long-term safety may be different and depend on influence on QT interval. The paper presents the state of the art of antiarrhythmic drugs that might be prefered among woman in different clinical situations.

Strong interest in biosimilars dates back several years. In the coming years the patent protection ends for subsequent biological drugs, including monoclonal antibodies. This paper organizes the most important facts related to the issue of biosimilars. A biosimilar is a biotherapeutic product which is similar in terms of quality, efficacy and safety to an already licensed reference biotherapeutic product'. It should be noted that biosimilars approved underthe current regulations of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) meet the stringent standards of safety, efficacy and immunogenicity. It is also important to realize that the biosimilar has the right to that name, if it is registered by regulatory authorities like EMA or FDA. One should not confuse biosimilar drugs with those which counterfeit or imitate. Clinical trials on the convertibility of innovative and biosimilar drugs are ongoing. Nevertheless,there is no regulatory framework and clear guidelines of conduct in this regard. In the near future, thanks to the registration of the first biosimilar monoclonal antibodies in rheumatology and gastroenterology the availability of biological treatment for patients should increase.

Unlabelled: Today, the phenomenon of Euro-orphan is more and more frequently reported in the literature. This term refers to children with one or both parents emigrated from the country for work purposes. In connection with the social transformations of orphan-hood types described in the literature (nature, spiritual, social), the definition has been broadened by the definition ofeuro-orphan. The Ministry of Education describes the euro-orphan as the destruction of the family structure, the disorder of the socialisation process of children and reduction of the emotional exchanges among family members, as a result of migration of their parents. It provides further that not every child whose parents are not present in the country is covered as an euro-orphan. However, this group has become an increasingly larger populations. Lack of physical proximity and accessibility of important persons may have some psychological and pedagogical implications. These in turn can be shaped over time, into pathological symptoms, which are diagnostic entities in developmental psychiatry. It is not know precisely how many children in Poland are Euro-orphans., Aim: The aim of this paper is an attempt to understand the social phenomenon of Euro-orphanhood in the light of the observed psychopathologies of children and adolescents., Method: The case study of the psychotherapy of a patient suffering from the Euro-orphanhood syndrome., Conclusions: Euro-orphanhood is a social phenomenon that generates Euro-orphans with a wide range of psychopathological symptoms classified in different diagnostic categories. The type and intensification of the psychopathological symptoms depend on the quality of relationships with meaningful persons prior to the Euro-orphanhood period. The course of the psychotherapeutic work with Euro-orphans should cover an individual aspect taking into consideration the maturity of defensive mechanisms as well as the work-through of negative feelings cumulated due to becoming a Euro-orphan.

Since ten years pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin (PR) are a standard treatment for the patients with chronic HCV infection. Recently, new drugs emerge called direct-acting antivirals. The first of them, telaprevir (TVR) and boceprevir (BOC), which peptidomimetic NS3/4A HCV serine protease inhibitors, have been recorded this year in Europe. Adding them to the PR significantly increases efficacy of standard treatment and creates the possibility of its reduction. This paper presents, based on the results of the third phase studies, the efficacy of triple therapy in selected groups of patients. Also includes current recommendations for treatment with BOC or TVR in combination with PR.

This paper describes the new microbiological hazards in food. For protecting human health, nowadays food safety authorities face with many challenges, that years ago were largely unheard. In 2011 verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli O104:H4 has been isolated in Germany. Strain came from fenugreek sprouts originated from Egypt. It was characterized by unique features such as presence of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli genes (aatA, aggR, aap, aggA, aggC) and resistance to most antibiotics. In Poland only three cases of disease caused by O104:H4 strain have been reported. Another emergence pathogen in Poland is Yersinia enterocolitica 08, biotype 1B. It is the most pathogenic bioserotype recently isolated in the USA only. Food-borne is commonly associated with raw or undercooked pork. The source of Yersinia spp. may be also milk and water. The presence ofbotulinum neurotoxins in food is not new, but still an important issue because of their high toxicity to human. Botulinum neurotoxins are high-molecular thermolabile proteins produced by Clostridium botulinum and some strains of Clostridium butyricum and Clostridium baratii. Based on their antigenic properties, botulin neurotoxins are divided into seven types A-G, however only types A, B, E and F are toxic to humans and some animals. Increasing risk associated with food results from antimicrobial resistance eg. extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) producing bacteria, particularly Enterobacteriaceae. Until recently strains ESBL+ were isolated in hospitals, however during last years they have been isolated from healthy humans, animals and food of animal origin. Increasingly common microbiological hazard in food is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Although prevalence of this pathogen in food is not high, the thread comes from difficulties of treating of infections caused by MRSA. The occurrence of food-borne in humans may also be associated with presence of viruses in food and water. The carrier of viruses may be equipment in food plant, production line, packaging and man. Most food-borne are caused by noroviruses, rotaviruses, hepatitis A virus and hepatitis E virus. An increased number of food-borne viral outbreaks are recorded in several countries. Reasons for this include the improved diagnostic methods that have enhanced detection of some virus groups, and the increased marketing of fresh and frozen foods that has led to a worldwide availability of high risk food. Viruses may contaminate food either through contamination at source, principally through sewage pollution of the environment, or in association with food

Fish and seafood are recommended diet constituents providing high quality protein, vitamins, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids, mainly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). However, these foodstuffs can also be the major source ofmethylmercury intake in humans. In general, more than 90% of the mercury in fish is found as methylmercury, but contents of methylmercury can vary considerably between species. Predatory species that are at the top of the food chain and live a long time, may accumulate higher levels of methylmercury. This paper contains information about sources of human exposure to organic compounds of mercury, toxicity, metabolism and transformation of mercury in the environment. Assessment of methylmercury by international risk assessment bodies such as the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and U.S. National Research Council (NRC) were presented. Climate changes and their influence on the mercury cycle in the environment especially mercury methylation and concentrations of methylmercury in marine species were also presented. Consumer advice prepared by European Commission and Member States as regards consumption of predatory fishes such as swordfish, tuna, shark, marlin and pike, taking into account the most vulnerable groups of population e.g. women planning pregnancy, pregnant or breastfeeding women and children were presented. Mercury and methylmercury contamination of fishes and seafood on the basis of the literature references as well as intake of mercury with fish and fish products in Poland and other European country were discussed. The role of selenium as a factor which counteracts methylmercury toxicity and protects against some neurological effects of methylmercury exposure in humans, as well as information on potential etiological factors connected with autism disorder were also described. Attention has also been drawn to increasing number of notifications to Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) concerning the contamination of fish and fish products with total mercury. European and national regulations concerning maximum permissible levels of mercury in food were also presented. Possibility of selection of different fish and seafood species, taking into account low methylmercury contamination and high contents of omega-3 fatty acids e.g. sardine, mackerel, anchovy, salmon, periwinkle, have been discussed.

Background: This paper is composed of two parts, the first one addresses the issue of legal grounds for teleconsultation and telemedicine in Poland, the other tries to answer the questions whether the provision of health services with use of telemedical tools does not breach medical professional secrecy or personal data protection., Material and Methods: The material comprised a whole set of Polish and European legal acts that could have any impact on the legal basis of telemedicine in Poland. The method applied was of interpretative nature, and the texts of above-mentioned acts were thoroughly analyzed, providing the first comprehensive study on this subject., Results: The medical professional secrecy is not violated if the range of transmitted data is limited to those, which are absolutely necessary in the diagnostic and therapeutic process. This rule involves the transmission of indispensable personal and medical data, however, sharing the patient's appearance should be preceded by his/her informed consent., Conclusions: The achievements of information technology greatly contribute to the quality of diagnostic and therapeutic processes. Due to the rapid development of modern means of telemedicine we face the need to establish legal regulations, specifying the principles of distant exchange of medical data.

An attempt has been made in the current paper to dispel two myths concerning Peter Simon Pallas, myths which have led historians of biology to distort the picture of some of the general biological ideas developed by that eminent naturalist of the Age of Enlightenment. The first point dealt with in the paper involves the myth that Pallas had allegedly drafted a 'tree of life' diagram, one of the many graphic representations of this kind to appear in later times, illustrating the structure of the organic world. The tree, of which Pallas merely left a short description (but not a depiction), took--in the articles of authors who wrote about it--a variety of graphic forms (largely dependent on the authors' pictorial inventiveness), with all the authors assuring the readers that they illustrated their reasoning with the help of Pallas's tree of life, but never mentioning that it was they themseIves who had drawn it. The current paper presents a juxtaposition of a number of such diagrams, drawn by different authors: the great diversity of the diagrams is sufficient proof that the existence of one, original 'Pallas tree' is just a myth. Another aspect of the myth has to do with the view that the tree supposedly illustrated phylogenetic dependencies - in fact, Pallas described affinity relationships between groups in the animal world. The present paper investigates how the 'tree of life' myth has developed, and reveals the mechanism that has most likely led to the myth being perpetuated in writings on the history of biology. The second issue discussed in the current paper relates to the myth of how Pallas's general views on biology allegedly evolved. The naturalist was supposed to have moved from transformism (characteristic of early stages of his work) to the idea of the immutability of species, formed in the period of his full scientific maturity. The current paper proves, inter alia on the basis of little known and not easily accessible writings by the scholar, that Pallas espoused the Age of Enlightenment's deism, an important element of which was the idea of the immutability of species, to which Pallas steadfastly subscribed. On the other hand, the analysis presented in the paper has revealed that Pallas seemed to consider the problem of species on two planes: that of free-roaming wild species, which remained absolutely immutable, and that of domesticated species, which did manifest some mutability, largely sustained by human effort but never transgressing species boundaries. It was also--and only--under domestication that monsters appeared. Pallas did contemplate, not without much hesitation, teratogenesis as a possible mechanism behind speciation, but--given the lethal character of monstrous modifications--he did not treat it as the real mechanism of speciation.

A growing interest in the development and implementation of preventive programs at workplace has recently been observed. According to the modern model of occupational health protection, recognition, monitoring and elimination of any potential risks at work are obligatory. This means that occupational health prevention also addresses the issue of psychosocial risks at work. There is a need of common understanding what the psychosocial risks are and how they affect human functioning to prevent them adequately and effectively. The aim of the paper is to present the present knowledge of psychosocial factors at work in a systematic way.

The stereotypes and sigma associated with mental disorders are frequently the main obstacles preventing early and successful treatment. Particularly in the case of schizophrenia, the burden of stigma often leads to chronic social impairment. In the paper, the prevalence of different public beliefs about mental disorders and varied components of the stereotypes of schizophrenia among respondents living in a few European countries (Poland, Switzerland, Germany, Croatia and Spain) are presented. The data have indicated that patients suffering from schizophrenia and their families not rarely have experienced social distancing, exclusion and rejection not only from the general public but also from mental health professionals. In general, respondents are fearful of people diagnosed with schizophrenia and desire emotional distance from them. The public attitudes tend to characterize people suffering from schizophrenia as dangerous, unpredictable, unreliable and so on. The article describes chosen psychological mechanisms that are associated with the presented results and explain the stigma attitudes of respondents.

The paper presents actual data concerning osteoporotic fractures (definitions, causes, epidemiologic and clinical data, consequences, treatment) particulary data about the most common fractures (distal forearm, vertebral and proximal hip fractures).

In contemporary civilized legal systems, sanity is a prerequisite for criminal responsibility of the perpetrator. Thus, insanity resulting from certain psychiatric and psychological disorders is a circumstance excluding the guilt. General assumptions of insanity criteria are close and similar in legal systems of the majority of countries; however, certain essential differences appear in details of their interpretation and acceptance. These differences in particular appear among systems of continental European states as opposed to these, in which the judiciary system is derived from the English law. The paper presents and discusses in detail the legal and medical considerations of insanity defense in Poland, as well as outlines the legal foundations of this issue in other countries of Europe, North America and Australia.

Forensic psychiatry and psychology were in their beginnings inseparably associated with the forensic medicine, constituting one of its related branches of knowledge. Progress and development of these disciplines, education and the practical application for the purposes of the law were a contribution of a several generations of forensic pathologists in the 19th and 20th centuries. One of the major issues of common interest was opinionating on the sanity of offenders. However, the problem of criminal responsibility of the mentally ill perpetrators dates back to much earlier times and has its roots in the distant beginnings of human civilization. In this paper, the history and evolution of the insanity concept (as a circumstance excluding the guilt of the offender) were presented, from the oldest theories to ideas underlying modern codifications.

This paper discusses the legal regulation of the performance of anatomico-pathological (clinical), hygienico-administrative (coroner's) and other types of autopsies. It is emphasized that in line with current regulations there is the obligation to perform autopsies on deceased persons in hospitals when the cause of death cannot otherwise be clearly determined, even if there is adequate expression of the individual's (or legal representative's) opposition. It is also pointed out that by current regulation it is no longer necessary to perform autopsies on deceased persons in hospital within 12 hours of their hospital admission. The paper also deals with the problem of autopsies performed at the request of private parties or insurers, by explaining that in the present legal setting there is no possibility of compliance with such requests--in spite of which certain insurers contractually reserve the right, in accidental deaths, to perform autopsies on or view the insured person's remains.

This paper discusses the legal basis for performing forensic autopsies, questions involving the appointment of experts to perform them, and principles of reporting their results. Attention is also given to Recommendation R (99) 3 of the Committee of Ministers, Council of Europe, on the harmonization of regulations for medico-legal autopsies approved February 2 1999 at the 658th sitting of ministerial representatives which recommends member-state governments' acceptance of the principles and rules as their internal standard, as well as the setting up of quality-control programs to assure proper introduction of the principles and regulations. Poland however has not--to date--conformed in any way to these recommendations, and according to the European Law Section of the Department of International Cooperation and European Law at the Ministry of Justice "questions" related to the performance of autopsies are in the hands the Ministry of Health".

In most of studies on the multiple risk behaviour syndrome, tobacco smoking is consider as one of the main components. In this paper smoking was excluded from this syndrome. On the contrary, a set of behaviours that includes: alcohol abuse, cannabis use and aggressive behaviours (bullying, fighting) was described and its association with smoking related behaviours was evaluated. Data were collected from 15-year-old students (N = 50618) from 28 countries participating in Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey in 2005/06. Representative samples of pupils completed a standardised questionnaire during school hours in each country. Risk Behaviour Syndrome (RBS) was measured on the scale ranged 0-12 points, categorized into 3 levels. We tried to answer the following questions: 1) is early tobacco onset related with the higher risk of being involved in multiple problem behaviours; 2) what is the prevalence of regular tobacco smoking among adolescents reporting multiple problem behaviours; 3) in what extent gender modifies above relationships; 4) are similar patterns observed in Poland and combined international sample. The results have shown, that in Poland 22.6% of boys and 5.0% of girls reported high level of RBS (6 points or more). The prevalence of every day smoking was equal to 14.9% and 10,1%, in boys and girls, respectively. This percentage increased to 38.8% and 61.0% in the group of boys and girls reporting high score on RBS scale. More boys than girls started to smoke at age 13 yrs or earlier (38.6% vs. 27.1%). Adolescents who begun smoking earlier, were more likely to be regular smokers at age 15, and more likely to report multiple risk behaviors. In all countries the influence of early tobacco onset on the RBS is more evident among girls.