Twice a day accelerated irradiation in postoperative treatment of supratentorial grade III and IV astrocytomas in adults

Fourty-seven patients with histologically proven grade III–IV astrocytoma received postoperative accelerated radiotherapy with 2 fractions of 2,65 Gy twice daily, up to total tumor dose of 53 Gy in ten days. The tolerance of the treatment was good, actuarial survival rates at 2, 3 and 5 years were 15%, 9% and 0% respectively

Expansion of Nature Conservation Areas: Problems with Natura 2000 Implementation in Poland?

In spite of widespread support from most member countries’ societies for European Union policy, including support for the sustainable development idea, in many EU countries the levels of acceptance of new environmental protection programmes have been and, in particular in new member states, still are considerably low. The experience of the countries which were the first to implement union directives show that they cannot be effectively applied without widespread public participation. The goal of this study was, using the example of Poland, to assess public acceptance of the expansion of nature conservation in the context of sustainable development principles and to discover whether existing nature governance should be modified when establishing new protected areas. The increase in protected areas in Poland has become a hotbed of numerous conflicts. In spite of the generally favourable attitudes to nature which Polish people generally have, Natura 2000 is perceived as an unnecessary additional conservation tool. Both local authorities and communities residing in the Natura areas think that the programme is a hindrance, rather than a help in the economic development of municipalities or regions, as was initially supposed. This lack of acceptance results from many factors, mainly social, historic and economic. The implications of these findings for current approach to the nature governance in Poland are discussed

Polish Sociology and the Polish Sociological Association Anno Domini 2007

This paper is a somewhat enlarged version of the Presidential Address given during the 13th Polish Congress of Sociology by the President of the Polish Sociological Association (Zielona Góra 13 - 15 of September 2007). The paper succinctly focuses on selected, yet central to Polish sociologists' and the Polish Sociological Association's, problems. Thus, the recent dynamic institutional development of Polish sociology brought about the spread of new tendencies. For example, the observed decline of the educational minimum students have to acquire before graduating as well as the change of profile of sociology alumni can both be attributed to the above-mentioned development. Ethical problems are likewise plaguing sociologists. These can be discerned in the instances of plagiarism and diploma papers made to order. Furthermore, the analysis of the fields of research interests of Polish sociologist indicates that some fundamental social issues are under-studied. At the same time it is often the case that sociologists' personal and political attitudes exert influence on their choice of research topics, the modes of analysis employed and even the conclusions arrived at. Polish sociology is, therefore, less and less visible on the international arena. The above-mentioned critical comments notwithstanding, the paper commends on the post-1989 achievements of Polish sociology. Also, it provides arguments against the attacks unconscientiously launched by some journalists. The paper contends that sociologists were often successful in identifying and diagnosing the most pressing problems of the transformation period in Poland. The paper is also arguing against the alleged need to settle up with Polish sociologist involved with the previous political system. The apolitical nature of the Polish Sociological Association is asserted in the text, too. Next the increasing involvement of Polish sociology in the broadcasted analysis of current political and social issues is presented. Then the paper critically assesses the depreciating image of sociology resulting from sociologists-commentators' presence in the media as well as the spread of the 'public opinion researcheology' phenomenon. Both these forms of sociology's participation in the media are guilty of simplifying and distorting the scientific nature of sociological analysis thus downgrading the prestige of sociology as well as decreasing the level of sociological insight of the society at large. As far as politics is concerned, understanding of social issues based on in-depth apolitical sociological research is neither taken into account by state institutions nor does it attract the interest of politicians. These developments have been caused by the fact that political strife rather than mission-inspired and visionary effort to work for the common good has come to dominate political life.Artykuł jest nieznacznie uzupełnionym tekstem wystąpienia otwierającego XIII Ogólnopolski Zjazd Socjologiczny w Zielonej Górze (13–15 września 2007) i prezentuje w syntetycznej formie wybrane, podstawowe problemy polskiego środowiska socjologicznego oraz PTS. Konsekwencją dynamicznego rozwoju instytucjonalnego polskiej socjologii są m.in. spadek poziomu wykształcenia socjologów i zmiana profilu absolwenta. Środowisko boryka się również z problemami etycznymi związanymi m.in. ze zjawiskiem plagiatów i pisania prac dyplomowych na zamówienie. Analiza pól zainteresowań socjologii polskiej wskazuje, że słabo badane są niektóre podstawowe „kwestie społeczne”, a na wybór tematyki badawczej, sposób jej analizy, a nawet wyniki badań wpływ mają zbyt często poglądy osobiste i polityczne autorów. Obserwujemy również słabnącą obecność socjologii polskiej na arenie międzynarodowej. Z drugiej strony, artykuł broni dorobku socjologii polskiej po roku 1989 przed nieodpowiedzialnymi atakami niektórych publicystów, dowodząc m.in., że socjologowie na ogół właściwie analizowali i diagnozowali podstawowe problemy polskiej transformacji. Uzasadnia również tezę o braku konieczności rozliczeń politycznych w środowisku polskich socjologów oraz o zachowaniu apolityczności PTS. Wreszcie, przedstawiając relacje polskiej socjologii ze sferą publiczną, artykuł zawiera krytykę jej obrazu medialnego kreowanego poprzez obecność w mediach komentatorów socjologicznych oraz zjawisko tzw. „sondażystyki”. Obie te formy medialnego istnienia socjologii silnie upraszczają i wypaczają przekaz naukowy, prowadząc do obniżenia prestiżu socjologii w odbiorze społecznym i obniżenia poziomu świadomości socjologicznej w społeczeństwie. W sferze polityki zaś, pogłębiona i obiektywna politycznie wiedza socjologiczna nie znajduje większego zainteresowania, nie jest też absorbowana przez państwowy system instytucjonalny. Dzieje się tak głównie na skutek zdominowania areny politycznej przez politykę walki o władzę, a nie poczucie misji i kreowanie wizji politycznych