Amphibian situation in urban environment : history of the common toad Bufo bufo in Kraków (Poland)

Rapid urbanization processes are not neutral to the environment, especially amphibians. Their double-environment lifestyle makes them particularly vulnerable to negative changes in the environment. Inventory research on batrachofauna carried out in urban areas usually provides data on its current state, but there is little information about changes in its composition over the years. The aim of the study was to investigate the situation of amphibians in urban areas of Kraków (Poland) over the last 90 years. As an example of amphibian species the common toad Bufo bufo (Linnaeus, 1758) was selected, because of its widespread occurrence and high environmental plasticity. Three periods were chosen for the analysis: 1) before the Second World War (1928-1939), when the nature of the city seemed to be the least exposed to treats, 2) after the rapid urban transformation associated with the expansion of the territory of the city (1986 -1992), and 3) the present time. In order to determine the current situation of amphibians, in 2011-2012, 30 water bodies of Kraków were inventoried, with particular emphasis on the common toad. The occurrence of the same species in the city over the last 90 years was shown. The proportion of occupied habitat (POH) by the common toad (POH=0.57) is currently similar to the pre-Second World War proportion (POH=0.58). Between these two periods, there was a significant increase in the number of Bufo bufo in Kraków (POH=0.86). At that time the common toad was the only amphibian which increased, while the others declined. These results may suggest the high resistance of the species to the negative impact of urbanization during this period (loss and fragmentation of habitat and pollution). However, its resistance is limited, as evidenced by the recent decline of the species, just as most other amphibians of Kraków

Titan u procesu talenja sirovog željeza s povećanom količinom silicija

In connection with future utilization of magnetite - titanium ores deposited in Poland in the region of Suwałki - the test were performed to get information regarding the influence of titan and vanadium admixtures on the quality of pig iron and the run of blast furnace process. As a blast furnace charge, there were used magnetite - titanium concentrates similar to the ores deposited in the Suwałki region. The test consisted of iron ores sinter production and its usage in the process of preparation of foundry pig iron. The amount of TiO2 charge into the blast furnace was equal to 10 kg/Mg of pig iron. It was ascertained that the quality of sinter remained the same, but the output of sinter was lower by proxy. 4 %, compared to the production without TiO2 addition. These tests have proved the possibilities of utilization of titanium - bearing magnetite - concentrates in the portion up to 10 kg/Mg of pig iron, which gives possibilities to take advantages of entire deposit of titanium - bearing magnetite ores in Poland, using the blast furnace technology.Vezano za iskorištavanje magnetita - nalazišta titanske rudače u Poljskoj u području Suwalki - provedena su ispitivanja radi dobivanja informacija glede utjecaja smjese titana i vanadija na kvalitetu sirovog željeza i odvijanje procesa u visokoj peći. Kao šarže visoke peći koristile su se koncentracije magnetit - titan slične nalazištima rude u regionu Suwalke. Ispitivanje se vršilo na sinteru željezne rude i njenoj uporabi na procesu pripreme ljevačkog sirovog željeza. Količina šarže TiO2 u visokoj peći iznosila je do 10 kg/Mg sirovog željeza. Utvrđeno je, da je kvaliteta sintera ostala ista, ali je potrošnja sintera bila niža za približno 4 % u usporedbi s proizvodnjom bez dodavanja TiO2. Ova ispitivanja su dokazala mogućnost iskorištavanja koncentracije titana koji sadrži magnetit u odnosu od 10 kg/Mg sirovog željeza, što daje mogućnost da se u Poljskoj iskoristi cijelo nalazište magnetitne rude koja sadrži titan za potrebe tehnologije visoke peći

A Polish-Canadian trajectory of feelings

Artykuł stanowi recenzję książki Arlette Cousture zatytułowanej Dzieci stamtąd, która została napisana w języku francuskim, zaś w języku polskim ukazała się w 2017 roku. W recenzji omówione zostały sposób, w jaki autorka odtworzyła tło historyczne Polski międzywojennej, a także prezentacja głównych bohaterów. Osobny akapit został poświęcony analizie translatologiczej.The text is a review of Arlette Cousture's book Dzieci stamtąd/ Children From There, which was translated from French into Polish and published in Poland in 2017. The reviewer discusses the way in which the writer tried to recreate historical background of the interwar Poland in her novel, as well as the manner in which she presents her characters. A separate paragraph is also devoted to a short analysis of the Polish translation of the novel written originally in French

Między wojenną historią a kobiecą perspektywą

The article is a review of the book Kobiety i/a doświadczenie wojny. 1914-1945 i później (‘Women and/towards the Experience of War. 1914-1945 and Afterwards’). The author analyzes general aspects of book’s composition, main assumptions and goals, focusing on the problem of the exact definition of the term „woman’s perspective” and its meaning in the light of war and post-war discourse.Artykuł jest recenzją książki Kobiety i/a doświadczenie wojny. 1914-1945 i później. Autorka analizuje w niej ogólne aspekty kompozycji książki, jej głównych założeń i celów, skupiając się na problemie możliwych definicji pojęcia „kobiecej perspektywy” i jego znaczenia w kontekście dyskursu wojennego i powojennego

Management of the pig iron Si and slag CaO/SiO2 technological indicators in order to produce pig iron with a titanium content below 0,02 %Ti

The article present the developed method for production of pig iron with a very low titanium content of Ti < 0,02 %, while taking into account specific charge conditions. A two-week preliminary pig iron production test carried out determined the direction in managing two technological indicators, namely pig iron [Si] content and slag (CaO/SiO2) basicity, to obtain pig iron with a [Ti] content below 0,02 %. Based on the data from the preliminary test, proper tests were carried out with a pig iron Si content in the range from 1,0 % to 1,6 % and a slag CaO/SiO2 basicity in the range from 0,96 to 1,10. Data obtained from those tests enabled a statistical model to be established in the form of regression planes of two independent variables, [Si] and (CaO/SiO2). The regression equation of the first degree, [Ti] = f[(Si), (CaO/SiO2)], defined the plane that gave the process engineer the answer to the question of how to manage the [Si] and (CaO/SiO2) indicators so as to obtain pig iron with the desired [Ti] content below 0,02 %

Giant Gravitons and non-conformal vacua in twisted holography

Twisted holography relates the two-dimensional chiral algebra subsector of $\mathcal{N}=4$ SYM to the B-model topological string theory on the deformed conifold $SL(2,\mathbb{C})$. We review the relevant aspects of the duality and its two generalizations: the correspondence between determinant operators and "Giant Graviton" branes and the extension to non-conformal vacua of the chiral algebra.Comment: 12 pages, contribution to proceedings of String Math 202