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In this paper we study some fuzzy order in fuzzy sets based on t-norm fuzzy arithmetic. The definition of the order comes from the extension principle for interval order: a > b iff a − b > 0 and from measurement sciences. In measurement sciences the order is given by a comparator whose operation is based on empirical determination of the difference of two input signals. Fuzzy comparison based on fuzzy sets subtraction is considered as an extension of substraction operation, namely a fuzzy set B is greater than a fuzzy set A if B − A is greater than zero in fuzzy arithmetic. In the paper we show that this fuzzy order is irreflexive, transitive, asymmetric and compact, subhomothetic, Archimedean and semi-Ferrers. Our idea refers to the work of M. K. Urbański (Modeling the measurement in algebraic fuzzy structures, Warsaw 2003, in polish) and to the fundamental problems in the measurement theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Comparison of the Polish and Ukrainian models of metropolis management • Delimitation of the Warsaw metropolis • Problems of the development of the Warsaw metropolis • Historical difficulties in the development of the Lviv metropolis [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents investigations of two partially damaged military dog tags. One of them is in relatively good condition while the second one is strongly damaged. Investigations focused on the better preserved military dog tag. Some of the characters were illegible. Thus the aim of the investigations was to identify the originally stamped characters using the multispectral method. The idea was to investigate objects not only in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum but also in other ranges, such as the near-infrared or the long-wave infrared spectral range. The research made use of dynamic infrared thermography, near-infrared techniques (with additional excitation by a near-infrared source) and visible techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editors-in-Chief after receiving a complaint about citation issues. The editors solicited further independent reviews which indicated that the statements in this paper substantially overlap with the PhD thesis of Z. Furdzik [O własnościach pewnych rozkładów przestrzeni topologicznych na iloczyny kartezjańskie, 1968 (unpublished, in Polish), Institute of Mathematics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw], without proper citation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editors-in-Chief after receiving a complaint about citation issues. The editors solicited further independent reviews which indicated that the statements in this paper substantially overlap with the PhD thesis of Z. Furdzik [O własnościach pewnych rozkładów przestrzeni topologicznych na iloczyny kartezjańskie, 1968 (unpublished, in Polish), Institute of Mathematics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw], without proper citation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban parks and forests are important providers of cultural ecosystem services (CES) for the majority of the global population. Data from diverse sources are needed to reflect both ecological and social aspects of CES delivery in these areas. Understanding and disentangling this complex relationship is crucial to managing urban green spaces (UGS) in a way that maximizes users' cultural benefits, and does not threaten the ecosystem and its functions. This paper provides a multidimensional analysis of CES delivery in parks and forests located along the urban–peri-urban axis in Warsaw, Poland. We analyzed the content of photographs posted on Instagram to identify which UGS elements attract the attention of users. We also examined whether the pattern of CES delivery was a function of the naturalness and location of the park or forest, and analyzed the factors that influence weekly and seasonal patterns of CES delivery. Although our study focused on areas where natural elements dominate, only around a quarter of photographs featured plants, water, or wild animals. Nature typically appeared as the background, while the foreground was occupied by people and their activities. Consequently, recreational services dominated over aesthetic experience; at the same time, it proved to be very difficult to identify educational services from our dataset. Air temperature, and the color of vegetation resulting from phenological changes were the most important drivers of CES delivery. We found that both the dynamics and character of CES delivery varied depending on the character of the area, and its location. Finally, delivery patterns were similar in semi-wild urban parks and outer city forests. • When visiting urban green areas, people focus on themselves, not on the natural features. • CES delivery patterns in mature urban parks are similar to those observed in outer-city forests. • Air temperature and phenological changes in vegetation are significant drivers of the CES delivery pattern. • The IG photos help to identify recreational and aesthetic CES, but do not serve for educational CES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many countries, achieving social mixing through a mix of housing tenures became a central strategy in socially inclusive urban renaissance initiatives. While several studies have explored the relationship between tenure and social mix, they often treat social and affordable housing as a homogeneous segment, neglecting the diversity of housing providers and their individualized housing allocation strategies. There is limited understanding of the role of diverse housing providers in creating social mix. This paper aims to address this gap by examining how the presence of different types of social and affordable housing providers impacts the level of social mix and the changes in social mix resulting from tenure conversions in the housing stock owned by different providers. Using population census data in 1988 and 2002 from Warsaw, Poland, from two periods characterized by different housing policies and tenures, the paper argues that social mix was primarily associated with a combination of housing tenures and property ownership, but only in 2002. The findings suggest that limitations on tenure conversions are necessary to achieve long-term social mix. In addition, there is a need for affordable housing providers to diversify and specialize in addressing changing housing needs and dynamic housing aspirations. • A 'socialist' social mix was prevalent in areas dominated by a single ownership form. • 40% of both public rentals and privately-owned units maintained social mix. • The presence of state-owned housing with a single tenure ensured social mixing after the conversion of tenures. • Privatization in cooperative housing with two tenures resulted in social upgrading. • Affordable housing providers need to specialize in order to address changing housing needs and dynamic housing aspirations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to track how cities develop and grow, multidimensional systems of urban development indicators taking into account the balance between economic, social, and environmental aspects are the best solution found so far. However, there is no unique measurement system that would be widely accepted and applied within various urban areas to verify whether a given city is developing in a sustainable way. The aim of this paper is to apply the TOPSIS algorithm on the basis of selected urban indicators, in order to evaluate the progress of a single city towards the concept of sustainable development observed over a longer period of time. A capital city of Poland, Warsaw, faces several challenges associated with development policy evaluation, thus confirming the need for this research. We meticulously selected 48 indicators from the economic, social and environmental areas as an input for TOPSIS algorithm, which allowed us to calculate a new proposed aggregated index for evaluating urban policy on the example of Warsaw. Research has shown usefulness of applied TOPSIS algorithm in assessing the long-run development of an urban area towards the concept of a sustainable city. The results of our analysis indicated that over a period of ten years, during 2008-2017, the urban policy decision-making has been balancing the socio-economic and environmental aspects and the city of Warsaw has been developed in a sustainable manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to provide a thorough guide on how to analyze complex energy demand forecasting models with Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) in order to build trust in their predictions and understand the model and SHAP limitations based on selected real-world use case. There are only few examples described in the literature in energy industry and they present very basic usage. This study fills the gap for the class of energy (heat, electric, gas) demand predicting models by showing step by step, top-down analysis of state-of-the-art, deep neural network model predicting total heat demand (hot water and room heating) in Warsaw District Heating Network – the largest district heating network in EU. The paper shows how SHAP can be successfully used on demand forecasting models to provide practical, easily interpretable insights on inner workings of these models which can be used to assess their reliability and plan further development. • Predictions of deep neural network models forecasting energy demand can be explained. • SHAP can be successfully used to analyze deep ANN with multiple inputs (>100). • Step by step guide on how to analyze energy demand model with SHAP is provided. • Relationships identified by ANN forecasting heat demand agree with expert knowledge. • Trust in predictions of black-box models can be build by analyzing with SHAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents an experimental investigation of a solar dish concentrating system with thermal collectors, along with a numerical investigation of a solar cooling installation based on such system by means of dynamic simulation. The main aim of this study is the analysis of heat generation from the system for heating and cooling purposes, with the use of sorption chillers. A computer simulation of the dynamic operation of the proposed solar heating and cooling system was developed within TRNSYS software. The experimental data were used to validate the model of the concentrator and solar collectors. Successively, a solar heating and cooling installation for a residential application, integrating the different configurations of solar energy collecting devices and thermally driven chillers, was proposed and dynamically simulated. Flat-plate, evacuated tube and photovoltaic-thermal collectors were considered along with absorption and adsorption chiller units. In the present study, different system configurations, localities and time bases were considered to investigate the energy and economic performance of the system. The model of the solar dish and collector arrangement overestimates the produced energy by less than 5% as compared to the experimental study. The results show that the space cooling demand is matched in 23.6 and 46.2% by solar energy in Warsaw, while in Lisbon from 38.2 to 46.1%. The simple payback period of the investigated system configuration was for Warsaw between 18.1 years for the combination of flat-plate collector and absorption chiller and 27.2 year for the photovoltaic-thermal collector with adsorption chiller. • A hybrid solar heating and cooling system was investigated dynamically. • Experiments were performed on flat-plate collectors and dish concentrator set-up. • Different configurations of solar collectors and sorption chillers were investigated. • For Warsaw location, despite a good energy yield, Simple Pay Back is above 18 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The user experience varies according the urban context of the station. • The users felt more comfortable while using less centrally located stations. • Liveable environment around the station increased users' safety. • Legible layout of the concourse level should be a priority in architectural design. Underground spaces have emerged as a promising solution for enhancing the overall quality of life in cities by allowing for better land use, reducing noise, and improving air quality. However, the subterranean placement of non-infrastructure facilities gives rise to numerous apprehensions, predominantly concerning the experience of their users. The underground environment may evoke fears and anxieties, disrupt cognitive and physiological responses, and affect personal safety. This paper examines the extent to which the specific spatial characteristics of underground non-transfer metro stations influence the passenger experience measured by the subjective indicators of comfort and safety. The research combines survey data collected from 1400 users with spatial data obtained from space syntax analyses and field investigations of 28 underground metro stations in Warsaw, Poland. Based on the results of multiple regression analysis, a set of spatial features that affect user comfort and safety was identified. The results show that passengers' experience is shaped by several architectural characteristics of metro 'stations, as well as their accessibility and position in the city and neighbourhood. Among the most influential architectural features is the configuration of the concourse level followed by the geometry of the platform hall and the use of art elements. Based on the findings presented in the study, potential design strategies that could improve the user experience are proposed and discussed. The recommended approaches offer valuable insights for designers aiming to improve the existing metro stations and facilitate more effective designs for new underground facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Open source data and a dense in-situ air temperature measurement network were used. • The ratio of biologically vital areas impacts city thermal conditions the most. • Build-up indicators with vertical features present thermal regime better than others. • The area of radius of at least 100 m is the best for evaluating thermal conditions. • Spatial development particularly influences minimum and average air temperature. In the face of climate change and the growing frequency of thermally burdensome conditions, urban morphology and city planning are becoming increasingly important to human health. Architects and policymakers use various tools, including spatial development indicators describing the characteristics of built-up areas, to mitigate urban climate. This study purposed to (1) indicate which widely used spatial development indicators most adequately explained the thermal conditions of the environment, and (2) investigate how large an area most accurately represents the thermal features recorded at a given air temperature measurement site. Selected indexes were used to characterize each of the 21 measuring sites located in Warsaw. First, five spatial development indicators were calculated for three distances from each site. Then, based on data from the air temperature monitoring network, 17 selected thermal characteristics were calculated. The results of the analyses indicated that the Ratio of Biologically Vital Area has the highest impact on the thermal regime with particularly strong influence on the lowest daily temperature values. The paper proves that the thermal conditions of a given location in the diverse space of a city are more precisely represented by a large area than by its nearest surroundings. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this paper is to examine the relationship between the flexibility of spatial planning at the local level and the natural and socio-economic development indicators of municipalities. Seventy municipalities located around the most dynamically developing large urban centers in Poland (Krakow, Poznań, Tri-City, Warsaw, and Wrocław) were selected for the study, in which the records of 1131 local spatial plans enacted in 2017–2019 were analyzed in detail in terms of indicators including, but not limited to, characterizing the average area of the plans, the duration of the development procedure, and the intensity of residential development, the biologically active area. Development characteristics were identified through 30 indicators in six thematic groups (demographic, socio-professional, economic and settlement structures, natural environment, and spatial planning). The relationships between the two groups of indicators were analyzed using factor analysis. On this basis, three clusters were identified, explaining 32.9% of the variation. Such a relatively low result may indicate that the spatial policy pursued by local governments is highly individualized. It may also be concluded that the flexibility of spatial planning in general is weakly related to the characteristics of development, including natural and socio-economic development, and therefore its absence should not be an obstacle to it. • The level of flexibility of local spatial development plans in the surroundings of the largest cities varies greatly • The weak link of flexibility and development features is indicative of the individualization of spatial policy • There is an impact of environmental and landscape features on the extent and level of flexibility in spatial development plans [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2014, Poland celebrated the 10th anniversary of the access to the European Union. At present, air traffic has been increasing since 2004, when the open sky policy was introduced. Unfortunately, the dynamics of year to year growth is getting lower. In 2014 Polish airports operated more than 25 million passengers. Polish Civil Aviation Authority forecasts the growth of air traffic by 2020. It is possible to predict that in 2020 in Poland 38 over million passengers will be traveling by plane. The flight operations and the rate of population mobility will increase. Polish government as well as local authorities and regions have to prepare a strategy of air transport development. This strategy should be realized for the central airport in Warsaw, major regional airports, small regional airports, and local and business aviation. The main aim of this paper is to identify opportunities for Polish airports in the new perspective of European funds for 2014–2020. The main problems of the issue will be presented from various points of view. The first problem focuses on the development of Polish air transport area. Moreover, the paper concentrates on the availability of European funds for air transport. Finally, the paper presents the analysis of selected investments in air transport area: infrastructure, capital and operations. These investments and regional strategies as well as individual programs and the concept of Central airports for Poland will be determining the model of the Polish air transport system until 2020. In the paper, I conducted the detailed research about the development with the management of Warsaw Chopin Airport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Video-based safety assessment is proposed using detection of dangerous encounters. • Dangerous events are identified using vehicle speed, deceleration and min. distance. • A Dangerous Encounter Index is proposed as a surrogate safety indicator. • Crossing two lanes involves more risk than crossing one lane, given similar traffic. • Improvement of safety was observed with active signage involving blinking lights. Although the road safety situation in Poland is generally improving, the number of accidents at pedestrian crossings has not decreased in the last four years. This paper presents the results of the MOBIS research project, the aim of which was to develop surrogate safety indicators, based on detection of pedestrian-vehicle conflicts using video analysis. Pedestrian and vehicle traffic was filmed at two unsignalised pedestrian zebra crossings in Warsaw and Wrocław for over 40 days. Motion trajectories of vehicles and pedestrians were determined based on video processing. Several variables describing pedestrian-vehicle interactions were calculated, such as speed, post-encroachment time, distance between the participants, decelerations, etc. Classification of encounters was based on interactions of pedestrians and vehicles i.e. drivers yielding to pedestrians, vehicles passing just in front of, or behind pedestrians. Criteria for identification of dangerous encounters were selected with the assumption that it should be possible to automate the assessment process. The selected variables were: pedestrian-vehicle passing distance and the vehicle speed at that moment. Other criteria were used in cases of abrupt braking – deceleration exceeding 4 m/s2 and vehicle speed. A Dangerous Encounter Index is proposed as a surrogate safety indicator for pedestrian crossings. It relates the occurrence of dangerous events to exposure, defined as the number of pedestrian-vehicle encounters. The proposed index shows that crossing two lanes involves more risk than crossing one lane, given similar traffic flow. Some improvement of safety at both types of crossing was observed after active signage involving blinking lights had been introduced. The proposed method is a step towards automation of safety assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Research based on electric field data for positive CG lightning. • Stepped leader and preliminary breakdown analysis done in spectral domain. • Spectrogram for preliminary breakdown is more complex than for return stroke. • Changing STFT parameters can reveal new features of lightning components. • PSD-based lightning identification can be implemented in lightning location systems. The main scope of this paper is spectral analysis of several uncommon preliminary events preceding positive cloud-to-ground lightning flashes. They were detected from two different dissipating thunderstorm cells passing over the Warsaw region on 30 July 2019. Three different electric field signatures of positive cloud-to-ground flashes preceded by the preliminary breakdown pulses were recorded and identified. The respective power spectrum density spectrograms were computed additionally to allow more detail analysis of such kind lightning discharge incidents in time and frequency domain. All considered single positive cloud-to-ground flashes were characterized by fast electric field pulse trains lasted in average 3.8 ± 3.7 ms and 4.7 ± 3.0 ms in the time and spectral domain respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We implement the landscape mosaic model to describe UBS recreation diversity. • We investigate seasonal patterns of riverine activity among Instagram users. • Both ecological and social ephemerals explain recreational demand for UBS. • The social-ecological mosaic shapes seasonal patterns of use intensity. • Intensity of visits to more natural areas does not depend on ephemeral phenomena. Urban Blue Spaces provide multiple benefits to city dwellers and, therefore, are a key element in the social-ecological system. To responsibly maximise these benefits, it is necessary to link data and knowledge on the social and ecological functions of the urban ecosystem. This paper aims to identify recreational use intensity patterns of urban riverfronts along the Vistula river in Warsaw, Poland. The landscape mosaic model was used to identify differences along the urban core–periphery axis, and explore disparities induced by the variety of riverfront functions. Recreational demand for the river was assessed by measuring the daily activity of Instagram users in 2019. The short-term perspective we applied allowed us to examine the role of several ephemeral factors on the variability of use intensity. Our results indicate that both the position along the core–periphery axis, and the social-ecological characteristics of urban riverfronts can shape seasonal patterns of use intensity. Overall, Instagram users concentrate their activity in the city centre. Seasonal fluctuations are found across the mosaic of Warsaw's riverscape, due to both its ecological (level of naturalness) and social (recreation versus 'entertainment machine') functions. Ephemeral factors shape recreational patterns in various ways: (1) fine weather attracts Instagram users more than unfavourable conditions discourage them; (2) demand for 'pure' riverine nature is independent of all of the proposed factors; and (3) the relationship between air quality and use intensity is weak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents essence of traffic risk. Determinants of this derivative of frequency and consequences are enumerated and described. The main attention is focused on kind of consequences, type of vehicle, injury seriousness as well as kind of accident participant. Basing on classical risk approach, traffic risk assessment methodology is created. It plays a crucial role in formulating risk strategies, implemented from most popular, international risk management standards – PRINCE2® and PMI®. Recommendations for traffic safety improvement base on an unique comparison of risk assessment results and general risk strategies, and they are implemented into real data that characterizes the biggest city in Poland – Warsaw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a comparison of outdoor and indoor air pollution by means of magnetic properties of dust gathered outdoors and indoors on air filters. Outdoor dust (particulate matter smaller than 10 μm, PM10) was collected by means of a PM sampler that was placed in the yard of the building of the Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences (IG PAS), in Warsaw, Poland. Indoor dust samples were collected with the same type of PM sampler, placed inside this building. The magnetic methods were applied for the estimation of concentration and magnetic mineralogy of the magnetic particles present in PM. Magnetic measurements, such as low and high-temperature dependence of volume magnetic susceptibility κ(T), hysteresis parameters, and frequency dependence of mass magnetic susceptibility χfd show that outdoor and indoor PM contain ultra-fine-grained magnetite-like minerals, particularly in a size range < 30 nm. This pointed to the common outdoor sources of pollution intruding inside the building through windows, ventilation systems, and partly carried on dresses by people. The mass of PM10 collected outdoors is of the same range as the mass of PM10 from inside the building. The mass susceptibility of indoor filters, however, is about 1/3 of the mass susceptibility of outdoor filters. The relationship between volume susceptibility and mass indicates a relatively homogenous composition of indoor dust but a varying composition of outdoor dust, with a variable influx of nonmagnetic exogenous particles. • Magnetic susceptibility was much lower for the indoor PM than for outdoor. • Both sources contained mainly magnetite with higher concentration outdoors. • Only indoor PM showed a linear correlation between susceptibility and mass. •. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent times, the emergence of coworking spaces (CSs) has changed not only the way workers cooperate, but also how they carry out their activities. This phenomenon, limited mainly to urban areas, has spread heterogeneously across cities. The paper focuses on the location of CSs in Barcelona, Warsaw and Utrecht, three European cities that differ in terms of the typology of creation of these workspaces. In the three analysed cities, CSs are mainly private initiatives, although in Barcelona they are developed by small entrepreneurs, while in Warsaw they are developed by large multinational CS chains. Using K-density (Kd) functions and density maps, we contribute to the empirical literature by identifying how CSs coagglomerate with the service sectors, how CSs are concentrated in core areas of each city and how these factors differ between cities, taking into account the typology of CSs. We found that the CS location and coagglomeration depend on the spatial structure of the city and its development model; therefore, policymakers should take this into account in order to implement appropriate policy measures to attract CSs • CSs agglomerate differently in cities with different levels of urban hierarchy and reveal different CSs location strategies. • The coagglomeration of CSs with Knowledge Intensive Services (KIS) and symbolic knowledge base firms has been confirmed. • Market and high tech KIS with CSs build an urban entrepreneurial ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The observed urban growth leads to rapid changes in landscape and environment, increase of demands on sources, education and social services, etc. causing both positive results as well as considerable threats. In the era of modern technology development, including the commonness of GIS tools, obtaining geospatial data sets and their visualisation become easier. Their application allow for quick and advanced analyses of the current needs and prediction of the future ones. The present article discusses the problem of spatial accessibility of educational services in the city. This issue is very important from the perspective of the changes that took place along with the educational reform and the absence of urban planning regulations pertaining to the location of primary schools within a residential unit. Using 6 parameters and 3 indicators, as well as the example of the network of primary schools in the district of Bemowo, Warsaw the Authors of the paper showed the positive and negative features of spatial accessibility of those facilities and proposed methodology for analysis of spatial accessibility of educational services which was validated with Huff's theory. The aim of the study was to obtain maps of the accessibility of educational institutions and to identify on their basis the areas that are educationally excluded. A Huff's relative gravity model was developed for the school sites, and the probability of the area of influence from each school was determined. Locations where the location of schools does not meet the demand of residents were identified. At the same time, they demonstrated the usefulness of GIS tools for geospatial analyses in terms of meeting the residents' needs. • The proper arrangement of space, including adequate provision of services, is a vital matter in sustainable development. • The application of GIS tools allows for quick and advanced analyses of current needs and prediction of the future ones. • Analyses of spatial accessibility of services are valid in view of changes caused by reforms and urban planning rules. • The spatial accessibility was analyzed, and a methodology for the procedure was proposed, then validated with Huff's theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses selected problems with the estimation of environmental flows (EF) in the aspect of hydroelectric potential of rivers. The study was conducted for mountain catchments located in the upper Vistula catchment in Poland: Mszanka, Poroniec, Grajcarek, Ochotnica, and Kamienica Nawojowska. The data for calculations, in the form of observational series of daily flows in the years 1985-2014, were obtained from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management of the National Research Institute in Warsaw. Based on the data, environmental flows were calculated as 25% Mean Annual Flow (MAF), 70% Median Flow, Q 90 , 7Q10, 7Q2, and additionally with the Eflows Management Framework and Upscaling method (EMFU). The calculations made it possible to indicate the main problems related to the calculation of environmental flows using hydrological methods: selection of the appropriate characteristic flow, the method of determining guaranteed flows, selection of appropriate statistical distributions or sensitivity of environmental flows to the length of the observation series for which they are esteemed. In addition, the paper showed that the choice of method for calculating the environmental flow influences the volume of electricity production in hydroelectric plants. For watercourses not covered by specific forms of protection, the compromise between environmental protection and investment economics seems to be calculating the EF value by 25% MAF or Q 90. It was also found that it is optimal to maintain the value of EF (from the point of view of caring caring for the aquatic environment) along with choosing the economically justified options. Image 10061 • The link between the environmental flow (EF) and energy potential of rivers. • Lack of significant trends of mean annual flows (MAF) in the analysed catchments. • Sensitivity of EF values in reflect to length of hydrometric time series. • Best solution for environmental and energy production: EF as 25% MAF or Q90. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The method of tillage effect on microbial diversity and metabolism genes. • The lack of plow cultivation resulted in Nitrospirae dominating the soil. • The abundance of Sorangium sp. in the soil is independent of plow cultivation. • Mycobacterium sp. can may be an indicator of resistance to no-till in soil. • Gemmatimonas sp. can be recommended as indicator to prolonged lack of plowing. The idea of agricultural sustainable in the EU is based on, both minimizing interference with the soil system as well as diversifying crop rotation what relates to the limited cultivation system (changed from plow to no-plowing tillage) as well as organic fertilization is often abandoned. Taking above into account, our goal was determined of the structure, composition, and metabolic profiles of soil microbiomes in various cultivation methods (under multiannual plow and no-plow cultivation) using metagenomic analysis. Having regard to the recommendations contained in EU report (European Commission et al., 2020) of the Mission board for Soil health and food, 2020 indicating the lack of microbiological indicators of "healthy soil". So, we have tried to select of microbiological indicators showing sensitivity and resistance to use the methods of soil cultivation. The research object was located on almost 100-year field experiments at the Experimental Station of the Faculty of Agriculture and Biology in Skierniewice/near Warsaw on, luvisoils dominated in the temperate climate of Central Europe. Soil microorganisms respond with changes in their abundance and taxonomic composition depending on the methods of soil cultivation. Actinobacteria were the most abundant, while Planctomycetes were the least abundant in the metagenome of soil fertilized with manure, whereas the uncultivated soil was dominated by Nitrospirae. We can recommend the following taxa, including Gemmatimonas sp. as a microbiological indicator sensitive to the long-term lack of both plow cultivation of soil and organic fertilization, and Mycobacterium sp. as a resistancivity indicator to this soil cultivation method. Sorangium sp. could be recommended as microbiological indicators which responds by reducing the quantity under effect of the organically fertilized soil, while the plow and no-plow cultivation does not affect changes in its quantity. The use of various cultivation methods changed the biochemical functions in soil metagenoms, including nitrogen and sulfur metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism, and in the production of plant hormones and siderophores. Additionally, soil cultivation ways changed the response of microorganism's stresses, including oxidative stress. The conducted research indicates the necessity to conduct further research on the influence of various cultivation methods, on the diversity of the microorganism community and soil metabolism. The result of which may be the selection of appropriate microbiological indicators for determining "soil health" depending on the type of soil under cultivation located in different climatic zones, not only presented in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents the analyses of the long-term observations of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and concentrations of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <10 μm (PM10) in the Warsaw extended area. The AOT was observed between 2005 and 2011 in Warsaw and in Belsk (about 45 km away from Warsaw) with hand-held Microtops (Warsaw) and CIMEL (Belsk) sun photometers. The PM10 concentrations were measured at three Warsaw stations as well as in Belsk. The ground-based observations, and the satellite data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) provided information about the influence of Warsaw emissions on the AOT. The estimated effect is about 0.02 (at 500 nm) based on the sun photometers'' comparisons and 0.03 (at 550 nm) based on the MODIS results. Relatively small impact of Warsaw emissions on the AOT (about 10–15%) is consistent with the PM10 data. The mean PM10 differences, estimated during the same time as sun photometer measurements, for Warsaw Ursynow (a residential area) and Belsk was only 5.7 μg m−3 (13%), and for Warsaw Targowek (a mixed shopping and residential area) and Belsk was about 9.8 μg m−3 (20%). For the station located in the central Warsaw, near to the street with the heavy traffic, the difference in the long-term mean of the PM10 was significantly larger and reached 22.1 μg m−3 (36%). Finally, an extreme smoke event observed on 4 April 2009, when favorable weather conditions led to the differences in the AOT between Warsaw and Belsk in a range of 0.11–0.2 (at 500 nm) has been described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The paper presents the results of laser cleaning of the archaeological metal objects using two time widths of pulsed laser radiation, which are around 150μs and around 120ns. Two archaeological objects made of copper alloys were studied: a bow and a ring. Both objects came from a cemetery which is located in the garden complex of Wilanow Palace in Warsaw and are dated from XII to XIII century. The bow and bronze ring had ornamental longitudinal grooving and were part of burial jewellery. The materials of which these artefacts were made of, as well as corrosion products on these objects, were studied by using a variety of analytical techniques. The phase composition of the corrosion layers was determined by using Raman spectroscopy. The surface topography as well as the chemical composition of the deposits and cleaned surfaces were investigated. The samples were examined using scanning electron microscopes equipped with EDS. The investigations included observations in SE and BSE modes and point analyses of the chemical composition by EDS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reports on the changes in the spatial structure of landscape in the years 1950–1990 within the Warsaw metropolitan area. The analysis was aimed at identification of (a) the influence of the distance from the center of the city and from the transport routes on the values of landscape metrics, (b) changes in time of the landscape metrics of forests and built-up areas, (c) the influence of habitats, transportation network and the distance from the center on the directions and intensity of urban growth. Several landscape metrics were chosen to describe the landscape pattern (spatial share, mean patch size, patch size coefficient of variance, mean shape index, mean nearest neighbor distance, mean proximity index, and interspersion and juxtaposition index). The majority of changes in land cover took place in the years 1950–1970, but relations between landscape metrics and the distance from the center of Warsaw as well as from the transport routes, had a persistent character over the entire period studied. The influence of the habitat differentiation (expressed in categories of potential natural vegetation) in land cover is relatively unimportant in the vicinity of the city center and in the direct neighborhood of roads, while it would become the dominating factor in the periphery. The landscape metrics enable the description of the spatial regularities and trends, and constitute useful indirect indicators of the impact of urbanization on cultural (rural) landscape and of the general ecosystem disturbance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nowadays in many countries the increase of generating capacity takes place in small units within the framework of so-called distributed power industry (distributed generation – DG, embedded generation), and among them in hybrid power systems (HPS). In this paper we present our experience of the design, build and exploitation of HPS in the Institute of Electrical Power Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology. The following major subjects are considered: [■] the experience of exploitation of a hybrid solar – wind power plant, [■] a solar power plant with a fuel cell, [■] the concept of a wind power plant with a battery energy storage, [■] the utilisation of a DC micro-grid for the integration of different electrical energy sources. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

According to the Education and Research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe''s (eCAADe) mission, exchange and collaboration within the area of CAAD education and research, respecting the pedagogical and administrative approaches in the different schools and countries, can be regarded as a core activity. The following paper reports on some of the pedagogical issues that have been derived from a preliminary review and roundtable participants'' experiences with CAAD curricula. This review reflects discussions that were held at the eCAADe 2002 conference in Warsaw (Poland) and also follows up on two earlier discussions held at eCAADe 2001 and eCAADe 2000. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper summarises 1 year of monitoring of a roof-mounted 1-kWp grid-connected system in Warsaw. The system has been in operation since December 2000. The PV array consists of 20 Millennia MST-50 MV modules. Climatic and solar radiation conditions at the site are reviewed, and the performance of the system is assessed from a component perspective (PV array, power conditioning unit) and from a global perspective (AC power delivered to the grid, system efficiency and system reliability). The performance of the system exceeded computer simulation expectations. The annual system energy yield is about 830 kWh, and the performance ratio ranges from 0.6 to 0.8. The efficiency of the PV system is in the range of 4–5%. The installed PV system plays an important role in demonstration and education. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Novel universal methodology of spatio-temporal comparison of stability of spatial data-driven clusters. • Integrates spatial econometrics, spatial statistics and unsupervised learning. • K-means clusters of GWR model coefficients are rasterised and the mode cluster id labels given raster cell, Rand index and Jaccard Similarity test if pairs of pairs of raster cells belong to the same clusters in both periods. • Clusters of GWR coefficients indicate spatio-temoral stability of submarkets, while clusters of standard errors of GWR coefficients detect stability of local spatial heteroscedasticity. • Methodology can be applied to any spatial phenomena, including housing submarkets. This paper fills the gap in rich housing literature by testing the spatio-temporal stability of real estate submarkets. We start with standard Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) estimation of the hedonic model on point data, and we cluster model coefficients to detect housing submarkets. We check spatio-temporal stability - we add novelty by comparing if clusters move over space or stay in the same place. We rasterise surface and apply the Rand Index and Jaccard Similarity to check if clusters assigned to raster cells yield stable spatial structure. This approach allows for quantitative assessments of how much determinants of price are stable over time and space. The same mechanism applied to standard errors of GWR coefficients is a good test of the spatio-temporal stability of local heteroscedasticity. A Case study of apartments' transactions in Warsaw-Poland for the 2006–2015 period, evidences relatively high spatio-temporal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a complex analysis of heat demand forecasting methods for the Warsaw District Heating Network, which is owned by Veolia Energia Warszawa, the largest district heating network (DHN) in the European Union. The analyzed network supplies heat for both domestic and heating purposes. Therefore, summer, intermediate, and winter seasons were delineated and separately evaluated. Numerous models were utilized including models broadly recognized and used (ridge regression, autoregression with exogenous input, deep artificial neural networks), as well as previously unexplored models (combination of summer and winter linear models with the utilization of fuzzy logic). A 72 h forecast horizon is evaluated for total heat demand (the sum of all substations), as well as for groups of buildings (local models for specific city areas), and individually for the majority of substations. Models of areas use an additional input variable, namely, the results of the total heat demand forecast, and are proposed to be developed as an auxiliary information variable offered to grid operators. An artificial neural network based model achieves the best accuracy for all analyzed seasons. The intermediate seasons prove to be the most difficult to accurately forecast for and only the combination of summer and winter linear autoregresive models with utilization of a fuzzy logic reached comparable accuracy. • Heat demand for district heating network is calculated. • A 24 h horizon heat demand forecasts are proposed and evaluated. • Artificial neural network for total heat demand presents the best accuracy. • Ridge regression and fuzzy logic for network areas presents the best accuracy. • Implementation in on-line system is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents Łódź, Poland's third-largest city in terms of population, and which is a part of the urban heritage of the industrial age. At the start of the twentieth century, it was a major textile industry centre and achieved the highest population growth rate in Europe, with a scale comparable to the rapid development of American cities in this period. Prior to the First World War, Łódź was among the world's 35 largest cities. This profile presents strategies for addressing critical shrinkage by building a relationship with Warsaw as a part of a duopolis. The authors explored the processes by which Łódź enhances its competitiveness by improving its urban structure, altering its economic profile and changing its image from that of an industrial city to a cultural city. The case of Łódź demonstrates that understanding the necessity of introducing synergic layouts can be an element of building resilient city policies in Central and Eastern Europe, which has been hit by city shrinkage particularly hard. • Łódź as Poland's third-most populous city with an industrial origin. • Analysis of influence of demographic and economic change on Łódź's urban development. • Significance of the urban regeneration of the 19th-century post-industrial heritage. • Strategy studies: Duopolis Warszawa – Łódź and new image of the city as an anti-shrinkage resilience concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Presence of Alexander's patterns in an urban landscape was associated with positive affect. • The patterns were associated mostly with the emotion of relaxation. • Pattern theory is a manifestation of the conservative rather than the progressive place meaning. • With the exception of the downtown, Warsaw was judged as relaxing and relatively boring. A pattern language is a set of recipes, described by the architect Christopher Alexander, to help design spaces that will appeal to everybody and satisfy basic human needs. In this paper, we tested (1) whether the presence of patterns in an urban landscape is associated with a positive affect and aesthetic appreciation, and (2) what kind of emotions (low or high arousal) are elicited by settings with identified patterns and thus whether pattern theory is a manifestation of the conservative (enclosed, with continuous identity and offering rest) or the progressive (open, dynamic, and promoting social interaction) meaning of place. Participants evaluated 1310 panoramic pictures covering the entire area of a large European city (Warsaw), according to the four types of elicited affect (relaxation, excitement, irritation, and boredom), aesthetics (pretty vs. ugly settings), and liking. Expert judges estimated the presence of 68 patterns in the same pictures. The findings show that the presence of patterns in an urban landscape was associated with increased positive affect, aesthetic appreciation of the setting, and more liking. The effects of the presence of patterns were not eliminated by the content of the pictures (e.g., the presence or lack of nature). The dominant emotion was that of relaxation, suggesting that pattern language theory is rooted in the conservative (essentialist) rather than the progressive (anti-essentialist) concept of place. Except for the strictly defined downtown, Warsaw was judged as a mostly relaxed, and somewhat boring city. Alternative explanations and suggestions for future studies have been presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Warsaw church gardens are part of small urban green spaces structure and promote ecological benefits. • Church gardens provide the convenient environment for the individual worship and restoration. • Church gardens host both the religious and the liturgical events. • Bigger absolute green space surface and presence of trees favors social events. The subject of the paper are gardens associated with the Roman Catholic parish churches of the Warsaw Archdiocese. Church gardens derive from tradition of former churchyards which are principally characterized as places of burial. With passing years churchyards have lost their function of burial place and were transformed into designed green areas. The church gardens scattered throughout the urban tissue may constitute significant part of urban green spaces. Despite their fairly small size, the church gardens can function as a compliment to larger public green spaces. The research aims to verify how the church gardens of the Warsaw Archdiocese contribute to urban residents' quality of life improvement. The data collection, by means of on-site study, included identification of garden layout, types of vegetation, symbolical elements, furniture and other architectonic elements. To identify each church lot size and the surface covered by green space within respective church lot the orthophotomaps were used. Information on social functions of the gardens was acquired from the parish websites and their profiles in the social media (Facebook), and was supplemented by on-site observations carried out in the gardens. The size of the church gardens is diverse, but the majority of them has at least a small-size green space. The gardens which host social events are larger and have larger green space surface but do not differ with respect to the percentage of the green space surface. Social events take place more frequently in gardens with woody plants. Bigger absolute green space surface and presence of trees favors social events. The results show that Warsaw Archdiocese church gardens constitute important part of small urban green spaces structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine topological pairs (Δ , Σ) which have computable type: if X is a computable topological space and f : Δ → X a topological embedding such that f (Δ) and f (Σ) are semicomputable sets in X , then f (Δ) is a computable set in X. It is known that (D , W) has computable type, where D is the Warsaw disc and W is the Warsaw circle. In this paper we identify a class of topological pairs which are similar to (D , W) and have computable type: we prove that (Δ , Σ) has computable type if Δ can somehow be approximated by a 2-cell whose boundary circle approximates Σ. Moreover, we examine higher-dimensional analogues of such pairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to present a methodical approach for developing a hydrodynamic model of groundwater flow and transport of nitrogen compounds in the area covered by the precision farming system. The study area covers the part of the Vistula River floodplain terrace near Warsaw (Poland), in the vicinity of nature reserves: Wyspy Zawadowskie, Wyspy Świderskie and Łęgi Oborskie. The components of the water balance in the analysed area were determined using the HELP (Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance) model. In reference to the doses of mineral nitrogen used during precise fertilisation, the scenarios of the spread of nitrogen ions in the soil-water environment were detailed. The results were presented graphically in the form of hydroisohypses and isolines of nitrate and ammonium concentrations. The activity of overbank flows and the effect of the geological settings on the course of aquifer layers in the active exchange zone were taken into consideration when describing groundwater flow. This allowed us to indicate potential paths of intense nitrate migration resulting from the evolution of the fluvial environment. Moreover, "hydrogeological windows" have been identified, where contaminants can freely migrate to usable aquifer in the major groundwater basin. Unlabelled Image • Laboratory tests were conducted to determine parameters for hydrogeological modelling. • Multi-stage approaches for assessing the spread of nitrogen compounds are explained. • Remote sensing tools were applied to recognise hydrogeological windows. • Migration paths of nitrogen compounds were predicted using numerical modelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]