Academy of Humanities & Economics in Lódz

This paper reviews musicology, linguistics, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience research on the importance of music in developing human speech and cognition. It cites research from several scientific fields on how the brain processes and reacts to melody, rhythm, harmony, loudness, dynamics and types of articulation and timbre. It also discusses musical concepts and prosodic features such as intonation, rhythm and stress related to linguistic terminology and summarises results of earlier research on how the two systems interact to strengthen or weaken an individual’s ability to function without nurturing stimulation. Music is an important preventive and therapeutic factor for human life. The author describes the interplay between music and language in the nervous system, improving or hindering communication and how it affects us personally and impacts societal mental health.

This study examined the factorial composition and cultural invariance of the online learning readiness self-check (OLRSC) survey across Turkish (N = 212), Romanian (N = 207), and Polish (N = 235) college students. The results of confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) in individual samples supported the six-dimensional structure of online learning readiness while measurement invariance testing in a multi-group setting supported the metric and partial scalar invariance of the OLRSC survey. The latent means for the dimensions of online learning preparedness across the three groups were also examined in this study, revealing substantial differences. The results supported that the OLRSC is a psychometrically sound scale that can contribute to the scientific investigation of college students’ online learning readiness in the three nations. The findings not only extend the applicability of the OLRSC survey beyond its original U.S. context and atypical learners but also provide valuable insights for educators and policymakers striving to enhance online teaching and learning practices globally.

Throughout human history, cities have been targeted in wars due to their significance for politics, economy, communication and population. Today such Ukrainian cities as Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv and Irpin can be added to this list. This commentary focuses on the long-term challenge of the reconstruction of Ukraine and the role cities may play in this process given their growing role in international decision-making processes. These roles include through the bilateral channels of the twin or sister cities system and international and national city networks. Furthermore, such reconstruction efforts are already evident in Ukraine and highlight how city support activities are not limited only to the post-conflict phase.

The goal of the paper is to present of the decision of the President of the Office of Electronic Communications on telecommunication access to real estate in the light of the possibility of appealing against it. Decision of the President of the Office of Electronic Communications is a specific regulatory instrument, as it combines elements of civil law and administrative law. The President of the Office of Electronic Communications takes into consideration i.a. the fact of ensuring non-discriminating conditions of telecommunication access and the development of a competitive market of telecommunication services. This decision can be issued by the President of the Office of Electronic Communications on the basis of two different regulations. Article 139 of the Act of 16th July 2004 – Telecommunication Law refers to the issue of access to real estate and to telecommunication infrastructure. Articles 18, 30 and 33 of the Act of 7th May 2010 on supporting the development of telecommunication services and networks regulate the issue of access to real estate, access to building and connection point, access to telecommunication cable, building telecommunication installation or telecommunication terminal. The analysis of both of the aforementioned Acts leads to the conclusion that, depending on which Act, Article and paragraph is the basis for issuing a decision on telecommunication access, the manner of appealing against it is different.

A participatory budget is also called a civic budget. Such budgets allow a city’s residents to allocate the pool of funds by voting on previously submitted projects. This is certainly one of the most interesting forms of participation, involving significant groups of citizens in active social life: through social discussions, they create projects that can develop and serve the local community. Civic budgets are gaining considerable popularity in Poland and, therefore, are becoming more and more controversial. The question is, to what extent are civic budgets actually civic? This paper presents the theoretical assumptions of the civic budget, and then conducts an analysis of the civic budget of the city of Gorlice.

Conservation of cultural property has been defined as all actions aimed at safeguarding cultural property for the future in order to study, record, retain and restore the culturally significant qualities of the object, site or building with the least possible intervention. Architectural conservation constitutes actions that address the repair, restoration, maintenance and display of historic buildings, enclaves of buildings and sites, as well as their associated accoutrements, such as furnishings and fittings. These actions whether conducted on individual buildings or groups of buildings represent investments in the future of such sites. Such regenerative action at historic buildings and sites usually increases values of adjacent properties and local economic conditions as well. Architectural conservation is widely regarded as the predominant activity within the larger and more diverse field of cultural heritage conservation, which is also referred to as cultural heritage (or resource) management. This field is concerned with the documentation and preservation of all forms of human culture, including tangible artifacts such as architecture, archaeological sites, cultural landscapes, arts and crafts, and other objects of material culture. Architectural restoration and rehabilitation offers new practical, educational and growth stimulus possibilities. In addition, cultural heritage conservation addresses intangible manifestations of human activity, including existing manners and customs (folkways); spiritual practices; and musical, craft and cuisine traditions of indigenous populations, all of which are considered living heritage. The general purview of heritage conservation practice is ever expanding which makes the field both dynamic and open to new participants who bring fresh talent and perspectives to the task. As organized heritage conservation practice expands with each passing year formerly disparate facts and representations of history take on new meaning and significance. In relation to this, both cultural and economic values at heritage sites constantly change. Changes posed by nature and humans on physical cultural heritage ensure constant change as well.

This study aims to investigate the features of academic procrastination among higher education students in the context of forced online learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and wartime in Ukraine. Methods. A total of 789 higher education students enrolled in Ukrainian institutions participated in the study, responding to six questionnaires. The research focused on examining the correlation between academic procrastination indicators, self-organization, and the preferred forms of learning during the period of forced online learning. The results indicate that forced online learning has a positive impact on the manifestation of academic procrastination among students and does not promote their self-organization. Significantly higher levels of academic procrastination were observed in students who solely studied online compared to those in the mixed format, involving both online and face-to-face learning. Conversely, students in the mixed format exhibited less pronounced indicators of academic procrastination and higher levels of self-organization and conscientiousness. Moreover, the study identified a new type of academic procrastination labeled as "active academic procrastination." Unlike its negative connotation, this type is perceived as a part of the process of forced online learning. In conclusion, the research expands the theoretical understanding of academic procrastination among students and sheds light on its manifestation during forced online learning. The findings emphasize the importance of considering the learning format's influence on students' procrastination tendencies and offer insights into fostering better self-organization and motivation in the context of online education during challenging circumstances.

Introduction Health care professionals (HCPs) encounter different forms of loneliness in their work. It is essential that they have the courage, skills, and tools to deal with loneliness, in particular with existential loneliness (EL) which relates to meaning in life and the fundamentals of living and dying. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate HCPs’ views on loneliness among older people and their understanding, perception, and professional experience of EL in older people. Materials and Methods In all, 139 HCPs from five European countries participated in audio-recorded focus group and individual interviews. The transcribed materials were locally analyzed using a predefined template. The participating countries’ results were then translated, merged, and inductively analyzed using conventional content analysis. Results Participants described different forms of loneliness – a negative form that is unwanted and causes suffering, and a positive form where solitude is desired and sought. The results showed that the HCPs’ knowledge and understanding of EL varied. The HCPs mainly related EL to different types of loss, eg loss of autonomy, independence, hope, and faith, and to concern alienation, guilt, regret and remorse, and concerns about the future. Discussion and Conclusions The HCPs expressed a need to improve their sensitivity and self-confidence to engage in existential conversations. They also stated the need to increase their knowledge and understanding of aging, death, and dying. Based on these results, a training program aimed to increase knowledge and understanding of older people’s situation has been developed. The program includes practical training in conversations about emotional and existential aspects, based on recurrent reflections on the topics presented. The program is available at: www.aloneproject.eu.

The article describes the issue of music family traditions as a stimulator of the music activity of adolescents. This study introduces the issue of the inspiration of home and family education in the music development of adolescents. The subject is presented on the basis of the analysis of the source literature and research conducted in the area of narrative inquiry among a group of adolescents from selected cities in Silesia. The paper contains a report on the conducted interpretative research and reports the subjective opinions of the surveyed adolescents. The aim of the article is to draw the reader's attention to the broad context of musical family traditions, which in different ways determine the musical activity of young people.

Progressive urbanization, economic integration, and development of modern technologies lead to the emergence of a new generation of globally networked cities attracting capital, ideas and people. Size is not the most significant factor influencing the importance of a city. At least equally important are innovation, activity in city networks, the activity of the inhabitants and the quality of life. 15 years ago, Taylor et al. suggested that “it is no longer possible to talk of ‘non-global’ cities” (Taylor et al., 2007, p. 185). The research problem of this paper corresponds with the statement, addressing the question whether and how small and medium-sized cities show their manifestations of globalization. The hypothesis is that cities, regardless of size, show some signs of it. Such manifestations may be classified as political, economic, socio-cultural, and other. The conclusions confirm that the hypothesis has been positively verified. As a result of the application of probability sampling methods, the cities chosen for examination include the European cities of Aarhus (Denmark), Basel (Switzerland), and Tallinn (Estonia) as they are representative for numerous small and medium-sized cities.

This volume collects the contributions presented at the conference “Data-driven Decision Making” organized by the Italian Association for Applied Statistics, held in Genoa from 12 to 14 September 2022. The papers cover a broad range of topics, with a common thread: the use of statistical methods to support decision-making both in public administrations and in private companies.

During the archaeological research conducted in 2019 under the project “The Former Headquarters of the Gestapo and the Communist Provincial Office of Public Security in Anstadt Avenue in Łódź. Interdisciplinary Site Research” under the supervision of Dr Olgierd Ławrynowicz, an object filled with products on a paper base and bookbinding materials was found in one of the excavations. This paper attempts to clarify the chronology of paper products and to identify their type (typescripts, prints of monetary value, books, bookbinding materials, arrangement drawings, other paper products) and the material used. The visible content was identified using basic research methods and digital photographic documentation of it was made to preserve it.

Since European society is experiencing an aggravation of the issue of energy security, the production of renewable energy is becoming increasingly important. The advantages of biofuel—in particular, biogas—and the positive effects of the development of its production are summarized within the framework of the problem statement. It is emphasized that the production of biogas from various renewable raw materials causes economic, ecological, and social effects. The development of biogas production can be especially active in combination with the development of the agricultural sphere. In response to today’s demand, the authors in this research present a model of the correlation between the output of biogas from different types of organic mass and specify the factors affecting it. In particular, a multiple econometric model of the relationship between the output of biogas from different types of organic mass and the content of dry organic matter and the share of possible methane content in organic matter was built; the density of the connection between the factors and the resulting feature was evaluated; the tightness of the general relationship (influence) of independent variables on the dependent variable was checked using the coefficient of determination; and the reliability of the correlation characteristics was estimated using Fisher’s and Student’s tests. As a result, with the use of convincing evidence—in particular, taking into account the potential of the Ukrainian agricultural sector—the feasibility of further development of biogas production in combination with the development of agricultural production is substantiated.

Introduction and objective In 2017, a regulation enabling the retrofitting of property rights from the State Treasury to state legal persons and state organizational units (Art. 51a of the Real Estate Management Act) was introduced in Poland. The policymakers intended to expand the catalogue of rights to real estate by allowing the equipment or retrofitting of property to state legal persons. The purpose of this article was to determine how the above-mentioned regulation is applied in praxis. Material and methods The authors presented a case study exemplifying the procedures necessary for retrofitting the Independent Public Health Unit, Health Farm, Ministry of Interior and Administration, in Krynica-Zdrój retrofitting of property rights under Art. 51a of the Real Estate Management Act. Additionally, a cross-study was conducted concerning the application of Art. 51 based on a survey addressed to entities that have applied for property rights assignment to investigate the success rate, usefulness, and difficulties related to the procedure. Results The research showed an excessive length of the conducted proceedings for equipment of property rights, which was partly due to factors beyond the control of the authority deciding on granting ownership of the property rights. Most often, the refusal to grant ownership resulted from inability to indicate a real estate that would meet the criteria of the applying entities. In praxis, mainly the transfer of ownership rights to (1) applicants who had already used a given property; or (2) applicants who have indicated the exact property that they would like to receive was successful. Conclusions The analyzed regulation has gained popularity. However, an intervention on the part of the legislator to strengthen the position of the applicant is needed. For example, it is necessary to indicate the maximum time public administration has for deciding on retrofitting of property rights. Otherwise, the regulation will not fulfil the purpose of enabling further development of entities applying for retrofitting of property rights.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the occurrence and number of T2DM complications with sociodemographic (age, sex, habitation, education), clinical (duration of diabetes, HbA1c (%), BMI) and psychological (well-being, sense of influence on the diabetes course, coping styles) variables. Methods: A total of 2574 adult patients were assessed using The Sense of Influence on the Diabetes Course Scale, WHO-5 Well-Being Index, and the Brief Method of Evaluating Coping with Disease. Hierarchical Regression Analysis was conducted with number of complications as the dependent variable and three sets of variables entered in sequential steps: (a) sociodemographic; (b) clinical and (c) psychological factors. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association of these variables with diabetes complications' occurrence. Results: A higher number of complications and higher odds ratios of occurrence of complications were associated with sociodemographic and clinical variables, poor well-being, low perception of influence on the diabetes course, and an emotion-oriented coping style. The logistic regression indicated that participants with HbA1c >7% (in comparison with HbA1c ≤ 7%) and with high risk of depression (in comparison with no risk of depression) had respectively 68% and 86% higher odds of developing complications. Discussion: The number of complications has weak but statistically significant relations with psychological and clinical factors. Conclusion: The results support the rationale of including the psychosocial factors in the context of diabetes management.

In humans, most free tryptophan is degraded via kynurenine pathways into kynurenines. Kynurenines modulate the immune system, central nervous system, and skeletal muscle bioenergetics. Consequently, kynurenine pathway metabolites (KPMs) have been studied in the context of exercise. However, the effect of vitamin D supplementation on exercise-induced changes in KPMs has not been investigated. Here, we analyzed the effect of a single high-dose vitamin D supplementation on KPMs and tryptophan levels in runners after an ultramarathon. In the study, 35 amateur runners were assigned into two groups: vitamin D supplementation group, administered 150,000 IU vitamin D in vegetable oil 24 h before the run (n = 16); and control (placebo) group (n = 19). Blood was collected for analysis 24 h before, immediately after, and 24 h after the run. Kynurenic, xanthurenic, , quinolinic, and picolinic acids levels were significantly increased after the run in the control group, but the effect was blunted by vitamin D supplementation. Conversely, the decrease in serum tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine levels immediately after the run was more pronounced in the supplemented group than in the control. The 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine levels were significantly increased in both groups after the run. We conclude that vitamin D supplementation affects ultramarathon-induced changes in tryptophan metabolism.

The aim of this study was to compare the estimated blood loss and the frequency of obstetric hemorrhage among pregnant women with and without COVID-19 infection. The study was carried out in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, at the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Warsaw, Poland. From 15 May 2020 to 26 April 2021, a total of 224 parturients with COVID-19 infection were admitted for labor. The control group consisted of 300 randomly recruited pre-pandemic deliveries that took place between 15 May 2019 and 26 April 2020 at the Department. The primary outcome was the presence of postpartum hemorrhage, defined as an estimated blood loss of ≥500 mL within 24 h after birth or the need to transfuse 2 or more units of packed red blood cells (pRBCs). Secondary outcomes were the difference between hemoglobin and hematocrit levels at 24 h postpartum, the number of pRBCs units transfused, and the need for transperitoneal drainage. After applying the propensity-score-matching procedure for postpartum bleeding risk factors, 325 eligible patients were included in the final analysis, divided into 203 COVID-19 positive and 122 COVID-19 negative prepandemic deliveries. SARS-CoV-2 infected patients were characterized by a longer activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), a reduced prothrombin time (PT), and lower platelet count at initial presentation. COVID-19 deliveries were found to be associated with a higher frequency of postpartum hemorrhage, an increased estimated blood loss, the more frequent use of peritoneal drainage, and more pRBCs units transfused. During the pandemic, an increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage posed another threat to SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant women. It is essential to be aware of this when approaching COVID-19 delivery and to implement efficient preventative methods.

(1) Background: Administrative data allows for time- and cost-efficient acquisition of large volumes of individual patient data invaluable for evaluation of the prevalence of diseases and clinical outcomes. The aim of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of data collected from the Polish National Health Fund (NHF), from a researcher’s perspective, in regard to a cohort of atrial fibrillation patients. (2) Methods: NHF data regarding atrial fibrillation and common cardiovascular comorbidities was compared with the data collected manually from the individual patients’ health records (IHR) collected in the retrospective CRAFT registry (NCT02987062). (3) Results: Data from the NHF underestimated the proportion of patients with AF (NHF = 83% vs. IHR = 100%) while overestimating the proportion of patients with other cardiovascular comorbidities in the cohort. Significantly higher CHA2DS2VASc (Median, [Q1–Q3]) (NHF: 1, [0–2]; vs. IHR: 1, [0–1]; p < 0.001) and HAS-BLED (Median, [Q1–Q3]) (NHF: 4, [2–6] vs. IHR: 3, [2–5]; p < 0.001) scores were calculated according to NHF in comparison to IHR data, respectively. (4) Conclusions: Clinical researchers should be aware that significant differences between IHR and billing data in cardiovascular research can be observed which should be acknowledged while drawing conclusions from administrative data-based cohorts. Natural Language Processing of IHR could further increase administrative data quality in the future.

Aim: The incidence of fractures correlates with many independent and interrelated factors. The aim of the study was to examine trends in fracture incidence and to find possible reasons for changes. Materials and methods: A complete dataset of Polish population aged above 50 from the National Heath Fund-which is a single, state-owned payer for the health service procedures in Poland-covering the years between 2010 and 2015 was analyzed along with climate dataset. Results: The analysis indicated that there was a substantial and statistically significant decrease in the incidence of forearm and hip fractures (p = 0.007 and 0.007, respectively). On the other side, there was a statistically significant increase in incidence of humerus and lumbar fractures (p = 0.002, p < 0.001, respectively). The observed changes (especially decrease in forearm and hip fracture incidence) happened mostly in the cold season and were correlated to mean-temperature changes during the assessed time period. Conclusion: In the analysis based on the dataset obtained from fracture-related database collected in Poland in the years 2010-2015 in the population of patients over 50 years of age, we observed that the changes of fracture incidence during the observation period are associated with and may be dependent on the season (warmer versus colder) and on mean temperature increase during the observation period.

Telemedicine gives a safe and effective way of providing healthcare. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was possible to offer teleconsultations in primary care (Primary Care Teleconsultation-PCT). The study aimed to present an analysis of the PCTs served in the years 2020–2021 in the field of primary care in Poland to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the development of telemedicine in primary care in Poland. The database, containing a list of medical services provided remotely obtained from the National Health Fund, was analyzed. Economic and tax indicators obtained from the Ministry of Finance were also analyzed. Personal Income Tax (PIT) value was used as an indicator of household wealth, and the Corporate Income Tax (CIT) was used as an indicator of economic activity in individual counties for 2019. Along with the COVID-19 pandemic, patients as healthcare beneficiaries can take advantage of previously unserved telemedicine services as part of primary care. The data analysis showed that, along with the introduced recommendations and restrictions in connection with the pandemic, the number of teleconsultations in 2021 increased compared to 2020. In response to the pandemic, an educational campaign targeted older patients. These indicate the most significant percentage of PCTs among patients aged 70 and older. The study shows that the awareness barrier in implementing services for the elderly population decreased significantly. There was a clear correlation between the increase in PCTs and patient age.