Loads of N-NO3, N-NH4, PO4 and BOD5 carried in surface waters of the upper Dunajec catchment basin (at the section in Krościenko) in the years 1985–1998 are presented in this paper. Water quality of the Biały Dunajec (in Szaflary), Czarny Dunajec (in Ludźmierz) and Dunajec (in Krościenko) was characterised. Annual loads discharged from the area per km2 of the catchment were calculated from mean annual flows (SQ) and concentrations of studied components in river waters. Concentration of N-NO3 in waters of the Biały Dunajec was more than two times higher and that of phosphates – over seven times higher than the respective concentrations in the Czarny Dunajec and Dunajec. Different population density, numerous tourists and low level of water and sewage infra-structure were responsible for these differences.

This article deals with the problem of the knowledge’s utility. This issue is considered from three perspectives. The dualistic perspective is based on the two-component structure: knowledge–reality; the subject–the object. In this regard, the knowledge’s utility is measured by the measure of the power that can be obtained over the world. From the monistic perspective knowledge is useful if it allows the internal improvement of the bearer of the knowledge. Knowledge in terms of the emergent system arises in the fluid cognitive relationship between components of changing system. Relations between the system (whole) and units (part of ) are variable and undetermined by the specificity of the individual components which are also reciprocal and mutually forming.

The period of nesting development of Wilson's storm petrels (approx. 60 days) could be divided into three stages: first from hatching to 8th—10th day of development; second, from 10th to approx. 25th day and third from 25th day until nestlings leave the nests. During the first stage hemoglobin concentration in the blood decreases significantly while total surface of erythrocytes and the hematocrit increases. At that time nestlings do not grow very fast. In the second stage of development the values of all studied parameters do not change, while the growth of body weight is very intensive. The last stage is characterized by significantly reduced growth rate accompanied by important changes of all hematological parameters responsible for the respiratory function of blood volume unit.

The subjects of my examination are samples of Silesian surnames derived from the dialectal words determining objects of an animate and inanimate nature. The names of animals were more often used as a base to create the surnames derived from nicknames (derived from appellatives). They were more expressive due to their metaphoric meaning reflecting specific features of people and their evaluations. The signification of botanic (inanimate) nouns used within names was less transparent, however they are thought to refer to an anthropomorphic view of plant behaviour, e.g. dialectal woska/osika [aspen] — trembling. The belief that specific phenomena in nature have supernatural, magic or demonic powers, as well as other difficult to grasp factors, played a very important role in the creation of nicknames and later surnames for the Silesian population. The dialectal “nature” appellatives, which were the source for surnames derived from nicknames, also show that the same dialectal lexeme can have a different meaning in different Polish regions. On the other hand, dialectal lexemes which sound identical in specific Polish regions but differ semantically determine the cultural identity of the micro-speaking country. The same phenomenon can be observed within surnames.

Reconciliation between two copper ore mines transferred ore from one mine to another for processing in enrichment plants generated the need to regularly study the amount and composition of the ore on the conveyor connecting these two mines. To ensure the objectivity of the study, taking composite samples and their analysis was entrusted to a specialized outside laboratory. However, the managing staff of both mines still have doubts whether sampling results reflect correctly content of transported ore especially when the fed is highly variable. In order to investigate how the relatively low sampling rate affects the accuracy and precision of the measurement, the article investigates the hypothetical situation on the linking conveyor with the ore having extremely differentiated mineralization: 80% of almost barren rock (below 0.7% Cu) and 20% of the richly mineralized shale (around 10% Cu). Such ore occurs in some areas of the mine, from which it is fed onto a connecting conveyor. Through simulation techniques it was examined how the frequency of sampling can influence the distribution of the pooled sample results. It turned out that for 16 randomly selected samples in the following 15 minutes time intervals of a working shift, the spread of results around the simulated value is very large. A satisfactory accuracy level for the estimations of mean Cu content in the transported ore is achieved when the samples are collected at 30-second intervals. Only with sampling frequency close to on-line scanner parameters the probability of obtaining estimations with deviation exceeding 10% drops to the level of 2%. In the case of extremely differentiated ore doubts about confidence in the described measurements are fully confirmed, because with over 50% probability a single measurement could be deviated by 50% up and down from the true value.

Public and religious ceremonies were part of the daily life of many Jesuit colleges throughout Europe. The Jesuit education was enriched by numerous occasional celebrations and events, of which many were closely related to the academic year. Young noblemen and magnates took part in various school and public celebrations, which marked the culmination of important teaching stages. Leaving the college was linked to a public debate, which was a great event in the life of the college. It gathered an eminent audience and was accompanied by extensive ephemeral decorations. In the Baroque period, young Polish nobles and magnates also took part in numerous ceremonies during their education in the colleges of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the educational travels in the most famous colleges in Europe. In the summer of 1686, Jan Stanisław Jabłonowski and his brother Aleksander Jan, sons of the Grand Crown Hetman Stanisław Jabłonowski and Marianna née Kazanowska, held solemn debates in the famous Collège Louis-le-Grand in Paris. It was one of the stages of their educational journey through Europe in the years 1682–1688. The travel diaries by Aleksander Jan and his tutor Jan Michał Kossowicz attempt to recreate the course of the ceremony, and provide valuable information about its artistic setting. The theses of the Jabłonowski Brothers were published in 1686 in Paris. The sequence of the ceremony and the ephemeral decorations that accompanied it carried a clear message glorifying the Polish Hetman, a commander from Vienna, famed as the Mars Polonicus.

Shear walls are the most commonly used lateral load resisting systems in high rises. They have high plane stiffness and strength which can be used to simultaneously resist large horizontal loads while also supporting gravity loads. Hence it is necessary to determine effective and ideal locations of shear walls. Shear wall arrangement must be absolutely accurate, if not, it may cause negative effects instead. In this project, a study has been carried out to determine the effects of additions of shear walls and also the optimum structural configuration of multistory buildings by changing the shear wall locations radically. Four different cases of shear wall positions for G+10 storey buildings have been analyzed by computer application software ETABS. The framed structure was subjected to lateral and gravity loading in accordance with the Indian Standards provision and the results were analyzed to determine the optimum positioning of the shear walls.

This article was written on the occasion of the completion of the 3-volume edition of “The Diaries” of the eminent Polish sociologist Stanislaw Ossowski (1897–1963). These diaries were written during a long and turbulent period, from the Russian Revolution of 1905 until the author's death in 1963. The author of this article, who prepared Ossowski's diaries for publication and annotated them extensively, discusses their character, describes the fate of their manuscripts and reveals her editorial workshop. “The Diaries” are a valuable collection of Ossowski's notes of daily life, wars and politics, his scientific travels, comments on his readings and more general reflections on society. They provide material for Ossowski's scientific biography and are an important source for the study of the history of sociology and intellectual life in Poland. The value of Ossowski’s diaries lies in the fact that he wrote them for himself. This makes them free of the bias common in autobiographies and diaries written with a view to future publication.