Requirements for environmental protection, such as reducing emissions of CO2, NOx, and SO2 are the reason for growing interest in new technologies for coal utilization. One of the most promoted technologies is coal gasification. However, like any technology using coal, this process produces wastes – fly ash and slag. Due to the small number of coal gasification plants, these wastes are poorly understood. Therefore, before making decisions on the introduction of coal gasification technology, a waste utilization plan should be developed. This also applies to the slags formed in underground coal gasification technology. One of the options under consideration is to use these wastes as a component in mineral binders of a pozzolanic character. This paper compares the properties of two types of slags. The first slag (MI) comes from fuel gasification, and the second slag (BA) is from underground coal gasification. Slag MI can be classified as basic slag with a chemical composition similar to that of silica fly ash from coal combustion. Slag BA – because of its four times greater content of calcium oxide – belongs to a group of weakly basic slags. The main and only mineral component of slag MI is glassy phase. Slag BA forms – besides the glassy phase – crystalline phases such as mullite (3 Al2O3 · 2 SiO2), quartz (-SiO2), anorthite (Ca(Al2Si2O8)), gehlenit (Ca2Al[(Si,Al)2O7]), wollastonite (Ca3[Si3O9]), 2CaO · SiO2, and 4 CaO · Al2O3 · Fe2O3. The results of analyses have shown that slag BA has better pozzolanic properties (the pozzolanic activity index is 75.1% at 90 days) than slag MI (69.9% at 90 days) The preliminary studies lead to the conclusion that these slags are characterized by very low pozzolanic activity and cannot be used as a pozzolanic material.

In the present paper, elemental Fe, Cr and Ni powders were used to fabricate nano-structured duplex and ferritic stainless steel powders by using high energy planetary ball milling. We have studied the effect of milling atmosphere like wet (toluene) and dry (argon) milling of elemental Fe-18Cr-13Ni (duplex) and Fe-17Cr-1Ni (ferritic) powders for 10 h in a dual drive planetary mill. Stearic acid of 1wt. % was added during milling to avoid agglomeration. The dry and wet milled duplex and ferritic stainless steel powders were characterized by XRD, SEM and particle size analysis techniques. We have found that both the milling atmospheres have great influence in controlling the final particle morphology, size and phase evolution during milling. It was reported that dry milling is more effective in reducing particle size than the wet milling. The Nelson-Riley method of extrapolation was used to calculate the precise lattice parameter and Williamson-Hall method was used to calculate the crystallite size and lattice strain of both the stainless steel milled in argon atmosphere. Dry milled duplex and ferritic stainless steel were then consolidated by conventional sintering method at 1100, 1200 and 1300°C temperatures under argon atmosphere for 1 hour.

In this investigation, the formation of oxide scales on different Co-Ni based superalloys of γ–γ′ type was analyzed. Co-20Ni-7Al-7W (at. %) alloy as well as its W-free modifications based on Co-Ni-Al-Mo-Nb and Co-Ni-Al-Ta systems was analyzed under conditions of high temperature oxidation at 800 and 900°C. Therefore, the alloys were isothermally oxidized at selected temperatures for 100 h in laboratory furnace. Afterwards, the oxidation products were evaluated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The performed tests showed that W-free alloys exhibit worse oxidation resistance compared to those of Co-Ni-Al-W alloys. After oxidation at 900°C, all alloys were prone of oxide spallation. The scales characterized by oxide peeling were mostly composed of complex Co-based oxides, including CoWO4, CoTa2O6, Co2Mo3O8, CoNb2O6.

B a c k g r o u n d: Regulation of energy balance in patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS) is disturbed due to lack of significant part of the intestine. The goal of the research was to analyse the plasma concentrations of selected regulatory peptides — ghrelin, visfatin, and irisin — in children with SBS.

M e t h o d s: To achieve this aim we recruited study group consisted of 28 children with SBS fed parenterally for at least two weeks, mean age 14 ± 5 months and mean standardised body mass index (SDS-BMI) –1.26 ± 0.84. The control group was represented 25 healthy children of matching age and SDS-BMI. The plasma concentrations of peptides (ghrelin, visfatin, and irisin) were determined using immunoassays, and liver enzymes (AST, ALT, GGT) using an auto-analyser.

R e s u l t s: We observed lower visfatin and ghrelin levels in the study group as compared to controls (both P <0.0001). The lowest total ghrelin concentration was observed in SBS children after ileal resection (P = 0.0016). Irisin concentration did not differ between the groups. Most of the SBS children showed elevated liver enzymes activities at the first measurement and during one-year follow-up.

C o n c l u s i o n: Our findings showed that plasma ghrelin and visfatin themselves may play a role in the course of SBS, while a lack of disturbance in irisin might imply that it is neither playing any role nor it is affected by SBS itself.

The “Kępa Redłowska” reserve is located in the southern part of Kępa Redłowska. The location of the reserve is quite unique. Its eastern border runs along the coastline of the Baltic Sea, while on the other sides it is surrounded by highly urbanized districts of Gdynia. Its coastal location means that it is exposed to natural factors that operate in the coastal zone, whereas its urban surroundings are a threat to the natural environment through more or less controlled human activity. The landscape of the reserve owes its attractiveness mainly to the cliff coast it encompasses. Diversified geological structure of this area, both in terms of lithology and age, combined with progressive erosion, causes a continuous change in its appearance. It is this part of the reserve that is most exposed to the destructive activity of natural factors, mainly coast erosion as well as aeolian processes. The intensity of these processes is closely related to climate changes over the centuries, e.g. a significant reduction in the number of winters, during which there is ice cover in the shore zone means that cliffs are not protected against erosion by winter storms. A spectacular effect of winter storms in this area was a large landslide in the southern part of the cliff on February 15, 2018. The retreat of cliffs is a common phenomenon, however observations in recent decades clearly indicate its acceleration. The remaining part of the reserve area, not directly connected with the shore zone, is subjected to continuously growing anthropopressure. As mentioned above, the “Kępa Redłowska” reserve is located in Gdynia. The expansion of the Redłowo district has resulted in the housing development being located directly adjacent to the eastern border of the reserve. An additional element of anthropopressure is the creation of interpretive trails and tourist routes within the reserve. On the one hand, this is an attempt to “channel” tourist traffic in this area, on the other hand, it causes an increase in tourist traffic with all the negative phenomena associated with it, mainly for vegetation. Human interference in the reserve began already at the end of the 1930s. At that time, military facilities, such as bunkers and artillery positions, were built there. This process continued uninterrupted until the 1960s. Post-military objects are on the one hand an attraction for tourists, on the other hand they attract the attention of various types of seekers of military remnants who, during their explorations, cause additional damage to the surface of the area and vegetation.

In the over 150 years of hydrocarbon history, the year 2017 will be one of the many similar. However, it will be a breakthrough year for liquefied natural gas. In Asia, China grew to become the leader of import growth, becoming the second world importer, overtaking even South Korea and chasing Japan. The Panama Canal for LNG trade and the “Northern Passage” was opened, so that Russian LNG supplies appeared in Europe. The year 2017 was marked by a dramatic shortening of the length of long-term concluded contracts, their shorter tenure and reduction of volumes – that is, it was another period of market commoditization of this energy resource. The article describes the current state of LNG production and trade till 2018. It focuses on natural gas production in the United States, Qatar, Australia, Russia as countries that can produce and supply LNG to the European Union. The issue of prices and the contracts terms in 2017 was analyzed in detail. The authors stress that the market is currently characterized by an oversupply and will last at least until mid–2020. Novatek, Total – Yamal-LNG project leaders have put the condensing facility at 5.5 million tons into operation. The Christophe de Margerie oil tanker was the first commercial unit to cross the route to Norway and then further to the UK without icebreakers and set a new record on the North Sea Road. In 2017, the Russian company increased its share in the European gas market from 33.1 to 34.7%. In 2017, Russia and Norway exported record volumes of „tubular” – classic natural gas to Europe (and Turkey), 194 and 122 billion m3 respectively, which is 15 and 9 billion m3 more natural gas than in 2016. The thesis was put forward that Russia would not easily give up its sphere of influence and would do everything and use various mechanisms, not only on the market, that it would simply be more expensive and economically unprofitable than natural gas. It was also emphasized that the pressure of the technically possible and economically viable redirection to European terminals of methane carriers landed in the American LNG, results in Gazprom not having a choice but to adjust its prices. The Americans, but also any other supplier (Australia?) can simply do the same and this awareness alone is enough for Russian gas to be present in Europe at a good price.

In spite of technological, logistic and economic difficulties, interest in renewable energy sources in the world is consistently increasing. This trend is also observed in Poland, mainly due to the urgent need to tackle the problem of climate change, which is caused by the increasing concentration of gaseous pollutants in the atmosphere. The paper presents a short script of the issue of estimating renewable energy resources in Poland in the context of creating local low carbon economy plans at the level of municipalities/counties where RES sources should be taken into account. The author proposed an individual approach to estimate the potential of RES, taking the local conditions and the short characteristics of the small and medium companies sector in Poland into account. These companies have a great application potential to increase the share of renewable energies and to improve energy efficiency in their business. The actions, which are taken by the Ministry of Energy in the field of civil energy development, enhancing local energy security and the sustainable development of renewable energy resources support the development of energy clusters covering one district or five municipalities. In the article, the author presents data on the number of companies possessing a concession for generating electricity in RES installations in the power range from 40 kW to 200 kW. These companies can largely be the nucleus for creating a local cluster in which microgrids will be a key element.

Lyme disease is an emerging problem in Poland. Analysis has been undertaken of the medical documentation of 86 patients hospitalized in the Infectious Diseases Department, University Hospital in Cracow in 2013–2016, suspected of Lyme arthritis. It has especially considered medical history including potential exposure to the infection, detailed characteristics of the symptoms, diagnostic challenges and results of the treatment. Only some patients had a history of erythema migrans and not all of them recalled tick-bite. The majority of the patients had affected large joints, especially knee joints, and polyarthritis was rarely observed. Symptoms were resolved completely or partially after antibiotic treatment in most patients. The diagnosis of Lyme arthritis in areas endemic for Lyme disease is still a diagnostic challenge in patients with other rheumatic diseases, including osteoarthritis.

Ectopic pregnancy constitutes 2% of all pregnancies. In the last decades, due to the rising amount of caesarean sections, new localization of ectopic pregnancy has been observed — caesarean scar pregnancy (CSP). Cesarean scar pregnancy is an iatrogenic disease and a life-threatening condition which frequency will systematically rise. Because of possible serious complications, CSP should be swift ly diagnosed and treated. Th e purpose of this retrospective study was to demonstrate diff erent methods of CSP treatment performed between 2015–2018 in the Clinic of Endocrinological Gynaecology and Gynaecology Jagiellonian University Medical College in Cracow. Th e clinical characteristics, diagnosis, various methods of treatment and clinical outcomes were analysed. Defi nitive algorithm of CSP treatment is still not established. Pharmacological and operative methods are approved while expectant observation is considered unsafe due to possible risk of complications for the patient, including death.