Facilities In Poland Research Articles

Quality Evaluation of the Services Provided in Selected Sanatorium Facilities in the Podkarpackie Province

Purpose. The article shows the importance of health tourism, including spa tourism, as well as current trends in the development of health resorts and sanatorium facilities. Method. The existing data from a survey carried out in health resorts in the years 2011-2013 were used, using standardized evaluation questionnaires. Findings. The data illustrates the level of visitors’ satisfaction with the quality of services and range of offers in selected sanatoriums. The visitors generally assessed the medical and nursing care, the range and quality of treatment services and rehabilitation as good, while in the assessment of local conditions and food as well as the tourist attractiveness of the destination, they reported varied opinions over the analyzed years. Research and conclusion limitations . Limitations of the research and analysis and the comparability of data between the sanatoriums primarily result from a diverse number of respondents in particular locations and differences in the construction of the research tool which was the questionnaire. Furthermore, the opinions of the visitors may be biased and some of them may not have comparison with conditions prevailing in other spa facilities in Poland. Practical implications. The opinions and comments of the respondents can provide additional information for the management of health resorts and local authorities in terms of taking care of the quality of services. Originality. The article presents the most important trends in health tourism, including spa tourism, which was observed in the studied health resorts and sanatoria facilities, as well as the visitors’ feelings about the quality of services and the attractiveness of the range of treatment, rehabilitation and prevention. Type of paper. The article is empirical.

Municipal Waste-to-Energy plants in Poland – current projects

In 2016, six new municipal waste combustion plants will be operating in Poland. These projects, located in: Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Konin, Krakow, Poznan and Szczecin, will influence waste management in Poland as well as change energy security of the country. So far in Poland only one Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plant, i.e. in the capital city of Warsaw, has been operating. Unfortunately, this is not enough, taking into account Polish economic development in the last years. Polish accession to the European Union (EU) significantly influenced the development of the industry which resulted in increased production of waste while the management system was not prepared to handle it in the proper way so there was a big amount of waste. The main way to deal with waste in Poland was, and still is, landfilling which can be in many ways dangerous for the environment. The EU law have put pressure on Polish Waste Management Systems and results are visible in currently realized Waste-to-Energy projects.This work analysis of the aforementioned 6 projects from economic (project value, funding from the European Union) and technological (used technology, waste throughout, availability etc.) point of view together with their impact on the entire waste management system and energy security. What is more, history of similar facilities in Poland is presented, what shows how many projects were prepared, how many fell through and time frame of finally realised projects (start of construction and the planned completion).Conclusions show why in the current situation development of Polish WtE infrastructure is right, i.e. operation of aforementioned plants that will ensure benefits associated with energy production, reduction of landfilling and informing public opinion regarding modern waste management models. Additionally, the article draws attention on the high responsibility that will be put on WtE plants operators and that experience gained during WtE implementation can be used to improve even further for future Polish Waste Management Systems.

The hotel investment market in Poland

The author of the article aimed to present changes in the hotel market in Poland in 2001–2014 and investment processes in the sector of accommodation services. The article describes both the development of accommodation facilities in Poland in 2001–2014 as well as the level and structure of tourist traffic in such facilities. It also discusses the results of hotel construction and provides basic information on hotel investments in Poland as well as the main indicators characterising the investment process in the hotel sector. The main source of market information were data collected by the Central Statistical Office (GUS) and published on an annual basis in Turystyka/Tourism and Budownictwo – wyniki dzialalności (‘Construction – economic performance’). The article also draws on unpublished statistics in the possession of the Institute of Tourism, the Warsaw School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, on data from the Eurostat databases and from selected international publications by consultancy firms.

Environmental Impacts of Energy‐Efficient Pyrometallurgical Copper Smelting Technologies: The Consequences of Technological Changes from 2010 to 2050

SummaryThe article analyzes and discusses the environmental and natural resource impacts, benefits, and greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potential associated with a long‐term transition to more energy‐efficient pyrometallurgical smelting technologies for the production of refined copper. Using generic data from the KGHM Polska Miedź S.A, Glogow I and II smelting facilities in Poland, this study employs life cycle assessment (LCA) to compare the environmental impacts of shaft and flash furnace‐based smelting technologies. Additionally, this analysis accounts for likely technological changes in the more energy‐efficient flash furnace smelting technologies and electricity generation from 2030 to 2050 to forecast the long‐term impacts of copper production. Life cycle impact assessment results for copper production are characterized using the ReCiPe 2008 midpoint method. LCA results show that, for most impact categories, the flash‐based technology can achieve significantly lower environmental impacts than a shaft furnace (i.e., to produce 1 ton of copper in 2010 generates, on average, a 24% lower overall impact). For climate change, transitioning from shaft furnace‐based copper production to more efficient flash furnace technology leads to decreasing GHG emissions of 29% in 2010, 50% in 2030, and 56% in 2050.

Avian Polyomavirus Genome Sequences Recovered from Parrots in Captive Breeding Facilities in Poland.

Eight genomes of avian polyomaviruses (APVs) were recovered and sequenced from deceased Psittacula eupatria, Psittacula krameri, and Melopsittacus undulatus from various breeding facilities in Poland. Of these APV-positive samples, six had previously tested positive for beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) and/or parrot hepatitis B virus (PHBV).

Usługi komercyjne placówek lecznictwa uzdrowiskowego w Polsce w świetle badań empirycznych

Usługi komercyjne placówek lecznictwa uzdrowiskowego w Polsce w świetle badań empirycznych

New insights into waste management – Meat industry

This paper discusses the effects of changes in the management methods for animal by-products in a meat-processing plant after the implementation of an onsite thermal process waste recycling system and the construction of a production facility for mineral fertilisers. The changes concern cured meat production at a beef, pork and poultry cutting plant with a capacity of 150 tons per day. The remains of the processing comprise 17 tons per day of bones and pulp from meat and bone, which are burnt to ash. The resulting waste (ash) is converted into a new and useful product: mineral fertiliser. This paper details a case study of the first facility in Poland with an animal by-product thermal recycling facility and a plant, located at the meat-processing factory, that produces mineral fertiliser for agriculture and horticulture. The results of this study indicate that the management of animal by-products eliminates some of the negative effects related to their transport to local facilities for disposal. The study also highlights substantial ecological, energy-related and economic advantages.

Spa Services In Hotel Facilities In The Lublin Province The Importance Of Hotel Facilities In The Provision Of Spa Services In The Lublin Province

Abstract Introduction. Apart from basic services, the modern hotel industry provides a number of additional services, including those having to do with wellness. This article attempts to provide a general description of spa services in selected hotel facilities in the Lublin Province in Poland. Material and methods. Data on the size of the accommodation base, its diversity, and its occupancy by tourists were obtained from the official statistical publications of the Polish Central Statistical Office (GUS). The paper presents the results of research on quantitative and structural transformations of mass accommodation facilities in the years 2000-2013. Particular attention was paid to spa hotels. Information on their profile and offer of balneological and wellness treatments was collected by means of a diagnostic survey in the form of an interview (primary source) and the exploration of websites (secondary source). Results and conclusions. According to the data provided by the Central Statistical Office, in 2013 there were a total of 285 mass accommodation facilities in the Lublin Province (accounting for 2.9% of all facilities in Poland), which constitutes 8.0% of the territory of Poland and is inhabited by 5.6% of the country's population. The facilities were able to receive approximately 18,700 guests (2.7% of the total accommodation capacity of Poland). Every fourth mass accommodation facility in the Lublin Province was a hotel. This type of accommodation base was represented particularly by facilities of lower categories (3, 2, and 1 star hotels), and it accounted for approximately 27% of the total accommodation capacity of the Lublin Province. Hotels and guest houses offering spa services in addition to accommodation constituted 19.5% of the total number of hotel facilities in the Lublin Province. They were particularly concentrated in Lublin and the towns of the Puławy (Puławski) District, such as Kazimierz Dolny and Nałęczów. Spa services provided in hotel facilities can become an important product intensifying the use of tourist space in the Lublin Province.

Money matters: does the reimbursement policy for second-generation antipsychotics influence the number of recorded schizophrenia patients and the burden of stigmatization?

PurposeIn Poland, non-compliance with the reimbursement policy for second-generation antipsychotics (SGA) manifested in prescribing SGA for patients with psychotic disorders other than schizophrenia may result in serious financial penalties. In this study, we aimed at investigating whether the implementation of the reimbursement policy for SGA contributed to increasing the number of patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia relatively to the number of patients with a diagnosis of other psychotic disorders in outpatient clinics.MethodsWe analyzed data from Yearbooks of Mental Health that were published by the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland in the years 1989–2009 registering the number of patients treated for various mental disorders in public facilities in Poland. Temporal trend analysis of the annual number of patients with a diagnosis of psychotic disorders, who were treated at outpatient clinics, was performed.ResultsWe found a statistically significant increase in the total number of recorded schizophrenia patients treated at outpatient clinics, as well as in the number of patients treated for the first time at outpatient clinics for schizophrenia. These changes overlap with the implementation of the reimbursement policy for SGA.ConclusionOur results suggest that the restricted reimbursement policy for SGA altered the diagnosing process in Poland. It seems that these alterations may have serious social consequences. Given that a diagnosis of schizophrenia is more stigmatizing than a diagnosis of other psychotic disorders, it might be assumed that schizophrenia over-diagnosing, possibly due to reimbursement reasons, add to the enormous burden associated with stigmatization.

The development of hydro power in Poland. The most important hydro engineering facilities

Poland is a country with scarce water resources, which places it in this regard at the end of the list of European countries. Also the capacity of retention reservoirs in Poland is very small compared to other neighbouring European countries, and does not exceed 6% of the average annual runoff from its territory. This results in the low hydropower potential. What is more, this low potential is used to a limited extent only, in contrast to most European countries. The first hydropower facili ties were built in Poland in the interwar period. The development of hydropower facilities intensified in Poland after World War II. They were the low and high head plants, but also facilities with equilibrium reservoirs and reversible units. After World War II, in Poland, within its new borders, there were a lot of small hydropower plants, which initially were ignored by utility companies and were devastated. Later, they were gradually activated. The construction of new facilities, modernization of existing ones, as well as reconstruction of those degraded, are often obstructed by significant ecological restrictions. This paper presents these processes and describes the major hydropower facilities in Poland.

Monitoring i zwalczanie szkodników w obiektach magazynowych w Polsce

Grain storage conditions and the occurrence of the grain storage pests plays a major role in the reduce losses and maintaining the high value of stored material. In order to know the conditions of storage of cereals and the occurrence of storage pests in them and pests control a detailed survey was sent to the entities responsible for grain storage facilities inPoland. The paper presents the results of a survey collected from 49 locations in the area of 11 out of 16 voivodeships covered by the survey research. The survey included questions about storage time of grain, measuring and control devices installed in granaries conducted monitoring of storage pests, the most common pests occurrence in storage grain, term treatments for pest control and used of plant protection product. Warunki magazynowania zbóż i ewentualna obecność w nich szkodników magazynowych w znacznej mierze wpływa na ostateczny poziom strat i jakość składowanego surowca. W celu poznania warunków składowania zbóż, występujących w nich szkodników i prowadzonego zwalczania opracowano szczegółową ankietę, którą rozsyłano wśród podmiotów zajmujących się magazynowaniem zbóż na terenie Polski. Praca przedstawia wyniki ankiety zebranej z 49 lokalizacji, z obszaru 11 z 16 objętych badaniami ankietowymi województw. Przeprowadzona ankieta zawierała pytania odnośnie czasu przechowywania zbóż, wyposażenia magazynów w urządzenia pomiarowo-kontrolne, prowadzonego monitoringu obecności szkodników magazynowych, najczęściej występujących szkodników magazynowych, terminu przeprowadzania zabiegów zwalczania szkodników i stosowanych środków.

Extensive recombination detected among beak and feather disease virus isolates from breeding facilities in Poland

Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) causes the highly contagious, in some cases fatal, psittacine beak and feather disease in parrots. The European continent has no native parrots, yet in the past has been one of the world's biggest importers of wild-caught exotic parrot species. Following the banning of this practice in 2007, the demand for exotic pet parrots has largely been met by established European breeding facilities, which can also supply buyers outside Europe. However, the years of unregulated importation have provided numerous opportunities for BFDV to enter Europe, meaning the likelihood of birds within captive breeding facilities being BFDV positive is high. This study examined the BFDV status of such facilities in Poland, a country previously shown to have BFDV among captive birds. A total of 209 birds from over 50 captive breeding facilities across Poland were tested, and 43 birds from 18 different facilities tested positive for BFDV. The full BFDV genomes from these 43 positive birds were determined, and phylogenetic analysis revealed that these samples harboured a relatively high degree of diversity and that they were highly recombinant. It is evident that there have been multiple introductions of BFDV into Poland over a long period of time, and the close association of different species of birds in the captive environment has probably facilitated the evolution of new BFDV strains through recombination.

Nurses vs ISO in a hospital

ISO based Quality Management System in healthcare facilities in Poland is no longer a novelty. Its implementation, however, requires medical personnel to expand their knowledge and accept the fact that medical service is a medical product. In order for a medical service to be of high quality, personnel should be familiar with medical services marketing. Processes used as a result of standards’ implementation are a significant change for healthcare workers but having a quality management system certificate became a standard. The aim of this work was to present the state of knowledge concerning nursing personnel readiness to implement the standards. In this work a diagnostic survey method was used, questionnaire was the technique used and as a research tool - the authors’ own survey questionnaire consisting of both closed and open questions. The study was conducted among nursing personnel working in hospital wards before and after the introduction of ISO 9001 based Quality Management System. Own studies revealed that before the implementation of ISO the nursing personnel was apprehensive about the changes related to it (53.22%), with only 28.65% unconcerned about it and 18.13% unable to decide. The research showed that the nurses surveyed were likely to claim that their work organization improved after the introduction of the Standards (48.54%), with only 19.30% thinking it did not change, and 32.16% claiming it improved to a small degree. According to the nurses, implementation of the standards in hospitals encourages people to pursue education or learn by themselves (67.84%), with 18.71% respondents saying it does not encourage them and 13.45% were undecided. The respondents most often thought that implementation of standards will contribute to increase of customer satisfaction with the quality of the offered services (82.46%), while 17.54% respondents thought the opposite.

Comparison of results from quality control of physical parameters and results from clinical evaluation of mammographic images for the mammography screening facilities in Poland

The material for this study comprised control protocols from 248 mammography screening facilities, prepared by physicists employed at 16 Regional Coordinating Centres and the results from the clinical evaluation of mammographic images in 248 facilities in Poland. All mammograms were evaluated independently by three experts selected from a list approved by the national consultant of radiology and diagnostic imaging. The requirements for proper breast positioning, selection of appropriate parameters for exposure and absence of artefacts were fulfilled only in 38 % of inspected mammography facilities. The requirements of the clinical audit were met only in 15 % of the mammography facilities. The requirements for the physical parameters of mammographic equipment were met only in 28 % of them. The requirements of the quality control (QC) tests and clinical audit were not fulfilled only in 19 % of the mammography facilities. Results from the QC of physical parameters are comparable with results from clinical evaluation of mammographic images in 57 % of the mammography facilities in Poland.

Early post-stroke rehabilitation facilities in Poland in 2010

The International Journal of Integrated Care (IJIC) is an online, open-access, peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes original articles in the field of integrated care on a continuous basis.IJIC has an Impact Factor of 5.120 (2020 JCR, received in June 2021)The IJIC 20th Anniversary Issue was published in 2021.

Demand on capacity on natural gas in salt caverns to the year 2015 and 2020

The EU Directives implementing the climate and energy package will result in the increased demand for natural gas in all EU countries, especially in Poland, whose energy management is coal-based. In the following decades we will observe the substantial increase in demand for natural gas as an energy carrier in power and heating sectors. Another factor, which will contribute to the increase in gas consumption, is the expansion of gas transmission and distribution network. In order to secure natural gas supply for the customers in is necessary to ensure the proper gas storage capacity, expand the existing underground gas storage facilities (UGS) and build new ones. Currently used Polish underground natural gas storage facilities allow storing 1.6 billion m3. Taking into consideration the expansion of investments in underground natural gas storage facilities and the projected increase in demand for natural gas, it is justified to build the new large salt cavern underground gas storage facility in Poland.

Application of cellular biosensors for analysis of bioactivity associated with airborne particulate matter

Exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM) is a known risk factor for adverse health effects observed in many environmental and occupational settings. The pathological mechanisms involved in PM-mediated toxicity depend on the size and contents of particles that vary depending on the source of emission. Chemical compositions of PM show multiple components with different bioavailabilities that are capable of acting on multiple molecular and cellular targets, making it difficult to predict PM-associated toxicity based solely on chemical analysis. The aim of the study was to develop robust, sensitive and economical assays for environmental pollutants based on genetically modified mammalian cells. We tested the suitability of two biosensor assays, Fluorescent Cell Chip and Oxibios, developed in part in our laboratories, for assessment of the potential toxicity of airborne PM. Reference PM and PM obtained by sampling of diesel exhaust and indoor air in aluminum and copper facilities in Poland were tested with the two bioassays using unified experimental protocols. Resultant data showed complex patterns of stimulatory and inhibitory activities that were consistent with the origin of PM and might be correlated with their chemical composition. The analysis was informative with regard to type and extent of possible toxicity associated with specific PM and allowed for detection of significant differences between PM from different industrial sites and particular locations within the same industrial sites as well as overall ranking of toxicity risk based on chemical analysis.

Individual patient shielding for a proton eye therapy facility

Abstract The first proton ocular radiotherapy facility in Poland has been developed at the Institute of Nuclear Physics (IFJ PAN), Krakow, in collaboration with the Clinic of Ophthalmology and Ocular Oncology of the Collegium Medicum of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow and the Centre of Oncology of the Maria Sklodowska–Curie Memorial Institute Krakow Branch. For the proton beam from the AIC-144 isochronous cyclotron the unwanted patient dose due to secondary radiation - predominantly neutrons - has been evaluated using the MCNPX code. Optimisation of the beam forming elements and designing of the additional patient shielding has been performed to minimize the unwanted patient’s dose.

Russian foreign policy

A renewed assertiveness has emerged in Russian foreign policy. President Vladimir Putin caused a stir in February 2007 with a speech attacking the United States, and in April said Moscow's observance of the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty would be suspended in response to American plans to site missile defence facilities in Poland and the Czech Republic. The prospect is for a period of chill in relations between Russia on the one hand, and the US and Europe on the other, reflecting frustrated hopes on both sides. However, fears that current tensions could signal a renewed Cold War are unfounded, as relationships on security matters are more complex than previously and the two sides are likely to continue to be engaged on issues such as Iran.

98/01194 Underground gas storage facilities in Poland in the perspective of the Yamal-Western Europe transmission system: Siemek, J. et al. Nafta-Gaz, 1997, 53, (6), 233–236. (in Polish)

98/01194 Underground gas storage facilities in Poland in the perspective of the Yamal-Western Europe transmission system: Siemek, J. et al. Nafta-Gaz, 1997, 53, (6), 233–236. (in Polish)