In the paper I address the problem of consolidation of the borders of the world of science by scientific institutions—in this case, Polish scientific societies of various fields. Basing on the analysis of the statutes of selected societies, I formulate a list of research questions that concern the role of scientific societies in distinguishing between what is considered scientific and what is not. These questions can be used in a more in-depth research. I adopt a constructivist perspective, focus on the ways in which science is produced and separated from pseudoscience, and do not address the (in)accuracy of claims rejected by the scientific world.

Zapotrzebowanie na energię na świecie wzrasta. Tymczasem nieodnawialne zasoby surowców energetycznych się wyczerpują, a ich pozyskiwanie i eksploatacja nie są obojętne dla środowiska i klimatu. Dlatego uwaga opinii publicznej i uczonych coraz bardziej skupia się na ograniczaniu zużywania paliw kopalnych na rzecz źródeł odnawialnych - na przykład biopaliw.

The global demand for energy continues to grow while non-renewable energy resources are rapidly running out and their exploitation is damaging the environment and Earth's climate. As such, there has been growing interest in scientific circles and among the public in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and gradually replacing them with renewable sources such as biofuels.

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to discuss exposure to stress and the incidence of occupational burnout among oncology nurses.

Methods: To study the discussed issue, we analyzed six full-text research papers which were searchable by EBSCO and met all required criteria (words included in the abstract, English publication, size of the study group).

Results: Exposure to chronic occupational stress may lead to developing burnout syndrome. Social service professionals are especially affected as they are expected to be emotionally engaged in their jobs, which particularly applies to such health care professionals as nurses, psychologists, police officers and social workers. Because of occupational burnout work efficiency may deteriorate. Oncology nurses are among the most affected nurse groups in terms of exposure to the risk of burnout.

Conclusions: Oncology nurses as well as other oncology workers exhibit an increased risk and a higher grade of burnout. Psychological training sessions are available which effectively prevent and alleviate the effects of burnout.

Charnockites – i.e., orthopyroxene-bearing felsic rocks – were formed in a deep-seated dry environment, either under plutonic or high-grade metamorphic conditions. Most charnockites known from the crystalline basement of Poland appear to be of Mesoproterozoic age (1.50–1.54 Ga), cogenetic with the Suwałki Anorthosite Massif, and associated with mangerite and granite members forming the AMCG suite of the Mazury Complex. Genetically distinct rocks, characterised by the presence of anhydrous minerals, e.g., orthopyroxene and garnet, were also recognised along 592 m of the Łanowicze PIG-1 borehole section, within the AMCG suite. U-Pb geochronology by sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) was used to date the complexly zoned zircons. The ages of crystallisation of the charnockite protoliths from various depths at 1837±7, 1850±9, 1842±6, and 1881±16 Ma makes these rocks the oldest dated crust within this part of the Polish basement. The Łanowicze PIG-1 borehole section bears components from neighbouring tectonic domains known from Lithuania: the West and Middle Lithuanian (WL/MLD) domains considered as a continental margin at 1.84–1.86 Ga and the fragmented Latvia-East Lithuania (LEL) domain, where the oldest continental crust was generated at c. 1.89– 1.87 Ga. The metamorphic zircon overgrowths document a high-grade event at 1.79 Ga and then constrained at 1.5 Ga. Dating of pre-Mesoproterozoic crust cryptic within the AMCG Mazury Complex provides valuable information on the nature of the pre-existing blocks formed during the long lasting Svecofennian orogeny.

Road dust should be considered as a secondary source of contamination in the environment, especially when re-suspended. In our study road dust samples were collected from 8 high-capacity urban roads in two districts of Kraków (Krowodrza and Nowa Huta). Total concentration of toxic elements, such as Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Zn, Co, Pb, Ni, Ba and Se were determined using ICP –MS ELAN 6100 Perkin Elmer. A fractionation study were performed using VI step sequential extraction, according to the modified method provided by Salomons and Fӧrstner. Appropriate quality control was ensured by using reagent blanks and analysing certified reference material BCR 723 and SRM 1848a. Concentration of metals in the road dust varied as follows [mg/kg]: Cd 1.02-1.78, Cr 34.4-90.3, Cu 65-224, Mn 232-760, Zn 261-365, Co 4.32-6.46, Pb 85.6-132, Ni 32.2-43.9, Ba 98.9-104 and Se 78.3-132. Degree of contamination of road dust from Nowa Huta was very high (Cdeg 54) and considerable for road dust from Krowodrza (Cdeg 25). Results revealed that road dust samples were heavily contaminated with Cd, Cu, Zn, Mn, Co, Pb, Ni, Ba and Se, in amounts exceeding multiple times geochemical background values. The chemical speciation study using VI step sequential extraction, followed by assessing risk assessment code (RAC) revealed that elements in road dust are mostly bound with mobile and easy bioavailable fractions such as carbonates and exchangeable cations, with the exception for Cr and Cu being mostly associated and fixed with residual and organic matter fraction.