Search

Towarzystwo Historyczno-Literackie (THL) zostało powołane do życia w 1854 r. w miejsce powstałego w 1832 r. Towarzystwa Literackiego. Te dwa towarzystwa mogły zaistnieć dzięki inicjatywie wybitnych Polaków należących do Wielkiej Emigracji 1831 r., a także dzięki Francuzom i obywatelom innych krajów, którzy okazali się niezłomnymi przyjaciółmi Polski. Natomiast Biblioteka Polska w Paryżu (BPP) która powstała w 1938 r., nie miała i do dziś nie posiada osobowości prawnej, będąc własnością najpierw Towarzystwa Literackiego a następnie Towarzystwa Historyczno-Literackiego. W 1893 r. aktywność Towarzystwa Historyczno-‑Literackiego wyraźnie osłabła, a liczba jego członków zmalała. W tej sytuacji Towarzystwo postanowiło powierzyć Bibliotekę krakowskiej Akademii Umiejętności, oddając także pod jej opiekę gmach przy 6 quai d’Orléans, w którym mieściły się zbiory. Akademia była polską instytucją, która po odzyskaniu przez Polskę niepodległości w 1918 r. przyjęła nazwę Polskiej Akademii Umiejętności (PAU). Wspomnieć tutaj trzeba przede wszystkim o wielkiej, pełnej ofiarności roli odegranej na miejscu, w Paryżu, przez dwóch kolejnych dyrektorów Biblioteki Polskiej – Władysława Mickiewicza (1898–1926), najstarszego syna Adama oraz Franciszka Pułaskiego (1926–1956), których zasługi dla BPP są ogromne. Biblioteka działała wówczas sprawnie, zbiory zgromadzone w budynku przy 6 quai d’Orléans wzbogacały się, a program kulturalny organizowany w jej siedzibie był dynamiczny i zróżnicowany. Niestety w 1940 r. nazistowskie Niemcy zajęły gmach Biblioteki Polskiej w Paryżu. Dokonawszy dewastacji budynku wywieźli pozostałe w nim zbiory. Zaraz po wyzwoleniu Francji w 1946 r. Towarzystwo Historyczno-Literackie zostało reaktywowane w Paryżu przez polskich patriotów i ich francuskich przyjaciół. Wspomnieć należy nazwiska tych, którzy w tym trudnym okresie walnie przyczynili się do odnowy tej placówki. Byli to Polacy – Franciszek Pułaski, Zygmunt Lubicz-Zaleski, Kajetan Morawski, jak również obywatele francuscy – Henri de Montfort, Léon i Henri Mazeaud, Françoise Granier, posłanka na Sejm francuski, pierwszy po wojnie prezes Camille Gronkowski, a później książę André Poniatowski, kolejny prezes THL przez następne 28 lat oraz dyrektor BPP przez lat 11. Wszyscy oni kierowali się tymi samymi ideami, co ich poprzednicy, dziewiętnastowieczni twórcy Biblioteki, to znaczy pragnęli dochować wierności historii i bronić wolności polskiej kultury pozostając w służbie Polski wolnej i niepodległej. W tej nowej sytuacji rząd francuski uznał reaktywowane Towarzystwo Historyczno-Literackie za kontynuatora Towarzystwa utworzonego w wieku XIX, któremu dekret Napoleona III z 1866 r. przyznawał przywilej użyteczności publicznej. Biorąc pod uwagę, że w roku 1946 nie pozostawał przy życiu żaden członek Towarzystwa z XIX wieku, francuski Trybunał Apelacyjny biorący udział w procesie między Polską Akademią Nauk (PAN) a Towarzystwem Historyczno-Literackim orzekł, że nie może ustalić właściciela Biblioteki ze względu na to, iż PAN (Académie Polonaise des Sciences) nie może być uważana za prawowitego sukcesora i spadkobiercę PAU (Polskiej Akademii Umiejętności). W wyniku działań sądowych administracja francuska powierzyła w końcu Bibliotekę Towarzystwu Historyczno-Literackiemu i zawarła z nim umowę dzierżawną do 2030 r. z nominalnym czynszem. Można więc uznać, że od 1946 r. do dnia dzisiejszego Towarzystwo Historyczno-Literackie ma nieprzerwanie w swojej gestii istnienie, funkcjonowanie i zarządzanie Biblioteką. Trwa to już od 72 lat, w tym 58 lat bez udziału Polskiej Akademii Umiejętności i dopiero przez ostatnich 14 lat ze znacznym jej udziałem, kiedy to PAU postanowiła wypełnić w ten sposób własne zobowiązania (otwarcie BPP dla publicz­ności) zawarte w umowie warunkowej określającej akt przekazania Biblioteki Akademii Umiejętności z roku 1893. Towarzystwo zapewniało więc nie tylko funkcjonowanie BPP, zarządzało gmachem i odzyskanymi po drugiej wojnie światowej zbiorami, lecz w dodatku wzbogaciło je pozyskując nowe materiały źródłowe i obiekty sztuki. Prowadziło ono ponadto szeroko zakrojoną działalność naukową, kulturalną, polityczną w trudnych warunkach materialnych, bez udziału ani pomocy ówczesnych władz polskich, z którymi nie utrzymywało żadnych stosunków aż do 1990 r. W ten sposób BPP, dzięki THL, jego członkom działającym społecznie, jego oddanym pracownikom oraz jego francuskim przyjaciołom, stała się w tych trudnych dla Polski latach, najważniejszym ośrodkiem kulturalnym na obczyźnie. Problematyka tego artykułu poświęcona jest historii BPP i THL od początku aż do dzisiaj, z uwzględnieniem ogromnego udziału aktorów życia kulturalnego i naukowego Francji przed pierwszą wojną światową, w okresie międzywojennym, a także i po odzyskaniu przez Polskę niepodległości w 1989 r.

Background: The survivors of childhood cancer suffer from a number of long-term side effects. These include atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) that develop earlier in adulthood than in the rest of the population. The aim of this study was to identify prognostic factors of developing atherosclerosis before the development of symptomatic CVD. Methods: A total of 141 children that were 7–18 years old were examined; there were 116 survivors of childhood malignancies (hematopoietic and lymphoproliferative malignancies—52; neuroblastoma—22; Wilms tumor—24; other solid tumors—18) and 25 healthy controls. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure measurements, ultrasonography of the abdomen, echocardiography, and laboratory tests were performed. Results: There were no significant differences in gender distribution, time from the end of the treatment, weight, BMI, prevalence of central obesity, blood pressure and resistive index of the renal arteries, lipid profile, or glucose and fibrinogen levels. Patients with solid tumors had a significantly lower height and worse renal function. Patients with hematological malignancies significantly presented the lowest shortening fraction of the left ventricle. The salusin β levels were significantly higher in the control group than among the patients. Conclusions: The type and severity of side effects are closely related to the type of neoplasm and the treatment that has been undergone. Careful observation and regular follow-up are necessary.

Research background: There are two main directions for the research of the national innovation system (NIS): the international comparison of macro data from national statistic offices or specific micro research restricted mostly to analysing selected issues. There is a lack of empirical studies regarding the national innovation system as a whole based on micro raw data and using statistical models. Purpose of the article: To identify and evaluate the impact of the triple helix (an input and output approach) on the NIS in Poland, including internal interactions between industry, science and government. Methods: A questionnaire surveys were conducted by the authors over the past five years in 6,284 manufacturing enterprises. The multifactor stepwise logistics regression forward was used to evaluate what, where and how effectively the NIS institutions in catching-up and medium-sized countries such as Poland are working. Findings & value added: The NIS of Poland is a complicated and non-mature system. Some parts of the network are effective, while others are not. It is noted that cooperation between enterprises stimulates innovation to a greater extent than cooperation with scientific institutions and public administration. The vertical supply chain is the main driver of NIS in Poland. Domestic scientific institutions have an impact that is often short-term, fragmented, and non-continuous, though it can be strong from time to time. Strangely, organizations with low knowledge potential support industry innovation activity more efficiently and in a more organised way than science institutes, excluding foreign ones. For catching-up countries, this is an important bridging of the knowledge gap - it turns out that the quantity and quality of domestic knowledge in the national innovation system is inefficient. Scientific institutions need to achieve sufficient critical mass to stimulate innovative activity. The value of the conclusions is underlined by the fact that the analyses were based on micro data, which allowed to capture the relationships between the different elements of the triple helix.

Inter-human cooperation has existed since the Paleolithic era, but its character has changed over time. Initially, it was instinctive, later forced, but nowadays it is voluntary. Already in the 18th century, Adam Smith wrote that society could not exist without cooperation. Human civilization was built by cooperating specialists supported by ever newer technologies. The subject of the article is the role of egoism and cooperation in human economic development throughout history. The research method used was a review of the literature of authors from various historical epochs, starting from antiquity and the Middle Ages, through the Renaissance, the first, second and third industrial revolution, up to the present day. The conducted research has shown that cooperation affects relationships between people and helps suppress the internal egoism of man, about which St. Augustine, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Hume, Malthus and even Charles Darwin wrote. The predominance of selfish or altruistic attitudes inevitably affected the development and collapse of many countries and even civilizations.

The study aimed to detect the presence and assess the expression levels of the estrogen receptors type 1 (ESR1) and type 2 (ESR2) within paravertebral skeletal muscles of female patients with idiopathic scoliosis (IS) in relation to phenotype parameters. Intraoperatively, the muscle samples were obtained from 35 adolescent females. The RT-qPCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry techniques were applied. The ESR1 and ESR2 were detected within paravertebral skeletal muscle cells, either the superficial or the deep ones. The ESR1 expression level was significantly higher in the deep muscles compared to the superficial ones. A left-right asymmetry of the ESR1 and ESR2 expression level was demonstrated in the deep muscles. There was a significant relationship between the expression asymmetry and either the Cobb angle or the progression risk factor: both parameters decreased to the smallest values in the case of symmetric ESR1 or ESR2 expression, while they increased with increasing expression asymmetry. In conclusion, the ESR1 and ESR2 presence was confirmed in skeletal paravertebral muscles of patients with idiopathic scoliosis. The increased expression level and asymmetry of estrogen receptors in deep skeletal muscles was related to increasing scoliotic deformity magnitude or increasing risk of deformity deterioration. These findings may highlight the etiopathogenesis of IS in children.

Motivation: Small and medium-sized enterprises, due to their large number, play an important role in the development of the Polish economy. Therefore, the focus should be on creating the right frameworks for their functioning — they should allow them to develop and stimulate the implementation of innovative solutions. Business support organizations (BSOs) are one of the entities that can facilitate development ant stimulation. The main types of BSOs in Poland are: technological parks and incubators, academic business incubators, centers for technology transfer, business angels networks, local/regional load funds, credit guarantee funds, and training and consulting centers. These entities should contribute to the implementation of new solutions in the surveyed enterprises and improve their competitive position.Aim: The aim of the article is to identify impact of business support organization on the innovation activity in industrial enterprises in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. The research hypothesis is the claim that BSOs increase the odds of implementation of new products and process in enterprises, but their impact will be different. The hypothesis will be validated on a sample of 442 small and medium-sized, manufacturing companies, which are located in Greater Poland Voivodeship. To carry out the study a multi-factor logit regression method will be used.Results: The research hypothesis is confirmed — BSOs increase the chances on innovation activity but their influence is different. Most effective are training and consulting centers and financing organizations, but this institution stimulate the implementation of new products and processes on the scale of the enterprise and innovation centers (technology parks, academic business incubators and technology transfer offices) of the country.

Research background: Contemporary research on industry concentrates on the relations between enterprises and their environment. Research on industrial structures conducted throughout the world, including Poland, are not extensive and limited due to the confidentiality of statistics. K. Pavitt (1984) was the first researcher who evaluated the relationship between industry structure and innovation activity. According to Pavitt, innovation dynamics and trajectory depend on the structure of domestic industry and is unique. In Poland T. Rachwal (2010) determined that over the studied years, changes in the indicator defining diversification in industrial divisions were minimal, but at the same time there was an observable fall in the importance of traditional divisions, such as the production of clothing, textiles, and the leather. In contrast, divisions as the production of metal, rubber, and plastic goods increased their share in terms of employees, as did furniture and vehicle manufacturing. Purpose of the article: The purpose of the paper is to identify sectoral patterns of innovation cooperation as revealed by data on about 5209 Polish enterprises. The authors attempt to find the answer to the following three questions: (1) Is the domestic aggregation sufficient for stimulating innovation cooperation in the Polish industry? (2) Is there any sectoral heterogeneity in innovation cooperation? (3) Are enterprises representing high technology industries the most involved in innovation cooperation? The main goal of the study was an attempt to seek out the directions and influence of various industries on the innovation cooperation of enterprises in Poland. Methods: Empirical data that served as the basis for conducting calculations were collected with the help of a questionnaire survey sent to industrial companies throughout Poland. A total of 5,209 properly completed forms were collected. The average rate of return was 11,6%. The collection was held over the years 2008–2013. The methodological part of the study was developed using the logistic regression method based on probability theory of the study. Findings & Value added: The study has shown that the higher the technology, the more often enterprises cooperate in the area of innovation. The research has not only shown the specifics of the domestic industrial system as well its level of technological advancement, but it has also taken into account the significance and input into the analyzed system.

Wraz z rozwojem gospodarczym rośnie znaczenie wspolpracy miedzy podmiotami ze sfery biznesu i nauki. Jednak obecnie na terenie Polski nie wystepuje ona zbyt czesto. Sytuacja taka jest spowodowana przez wiele uwarunkowan, wśrod ktorych mozna wymienic m.in. niedostrzeganie przez cześc przedsiebiorcow korzyści z jej wystepowania. W tym kontekście celem artykulu jest identyfikacja teoretycznych korzyści wspolpracy miedzy podmiotami ze sfery nauki i biznesu dokonaną na podstawie studiow literaturowych. Konsekwencją tak sformulowanego celu badawczego jest przyjeta metodyka badawcza bazująca na analizie problemu w literaturze przedmiotu. Studiując literature przedmiotu, mozna spotkac sie z opiniami, ze korzyści z wystepowania wspolpracy miedzy omawianymi sferami byly dostrzegane przede wszystkim przez duze przedsiebiorstwa przemyslowe. Wspolpraca ta przyczyniala sie do wdrazania innowacji usprawniających, a nie pionierskich. Jednak najcześciej dostrzeganymi korzyściami byly te związane z obnizką kosztow związanych ze wspolnie realizowaną dzialalnością B+R oraz związane z rozlozeniem ryzyka związanego z tymi pracami.

Simple Summary This study presents the first case of a lymphoepithelial cyst (LEC) adjacent to the salivary gland in a goat seropositive for the small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV). Immunohistochemistry detected the antigen of caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV) in the LEC, salivary gland, and lung tissue. In human patients, a LEC of the major salivary gland is an uncommon benign lesion and may be the early clinical manifestation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The present report provides useful information on the comparative aspect of LEC in an animal infected with CAEV, one of the SRLVs usually associated with chronic infection. Although many hypothetic theories were proposed, the etiopathogenesis of LEC is still debated. In this study, we present the histopathological description of LEC, supported by histochemistry and immunohistochemistry. Abstract The lymphoepithelial cyst (LEC) of the major salivary gland is a rare lesion described in medical literature. It is found in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients and considered an early manifestation of this infection. Despite the variety of theories, the origin of this lesion remains controversial. No veterinary studies on LEC have been published so far. This study is the first-ever that aims to describe histopathological, histochemical, and immunohistochemical features of a LEC located adjacent to the salivary gland of a goat. The goat proved seropositive for the small ruminant lentivirus, showed clinical signs of caprine arthritis-encephalitis, and had caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV)-infected cells in the lung. The histopathology revealed a cystic lesion lined mainly with squamous epithelium surrounded by a lymphoid component, containing a mucus-negative material and a few nonbirefringent structures corresponding to amylase crystalloids. Using immunohistochemistry, CAEV-positive cells were detected in macrophages, LEC epithelial cells, and the salivary gland. The B cells were mainly in the germinal centres, the intraepithelial lymphocytes expressed CD3 and Bcl-2, and the proliferative activity was low. This study showed that LEC had many similar histological and immunohistochemical features to those seen in humans. However, further studies are required in this respect.

In this article, corruption is treated as an expression of human entrepreneurship, which does not fully fit in the commonly accepted moral and legal standards. Despite being negatively perceived, it is persistently present in the public, economic and political life of every country as evidenced by a number of press releases on corruption.Research literature analysis reveals the existence of two conflicting opinions with regard to the way in which corruption affects innovative activity of companies and economic growth. The more morally correct theory, which can be dubbed the sand-the-wheels theory, assumes that corruption negatively influences innovative activity and economic growth. Whereas, the grease-the-wheels theory, which is inconsistent with the principles of social responsibility of business, argues for the positive influence of corruption on innovative activity of companies and economic growth. This article is a voice in that discussion.

Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS), also termed veno-occlusive disease (VOD) of the liver, is a well-known complication of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) both in children and adults. In the medical literature there are occasional reports of SOS in patients receiving conventional chemotherapy. In children with solid tumours this entity occurs during treatment of nephroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and medulloblastoma. In the late 1990s SOS was quite often observed as the complication of oral 6-thioguanine (6-TG) in patients suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), who received 6-TG throughout maintenance. In current protocols, the syndrome has become uncommon because treatment with 6-TG is limited to two weeks of oral therapy. Here, we report a case of a nine-year-old boy with ALL, who developed sinusoidal obstruction syndrome shortly after completing the reinduction block of chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, thioguanine) according to the ALL Intercontinental Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster 2009 (ALL IC BFM 2009) treatment protocol.

Studiując literature przedmiotu, mozna spotkac sie z dyskusją na temat znaczenia przestrzennego zakresu sprzedazy przedsiebiorstwa dla jego dzialalności innowacyjnej. Celem niniejszego artykulu jest określenie, czy w mazowieckim systemie przemyslowym aktywnośc innowacyjna jest konsekwencją lokalnych i regionalnych interakcji, czy uwarunkowan o zasiegu krajowym i miedzynarodowym? Hipotezą badawczą stalo sie twierdzenie, ze na obecnym poziomie rozwoju wojewodztwa związki miedzy zasiegiem sprzedazy a dzialalnością innowacyjną są odmienne od tych obserwowanych w bardziej rozwinietych krajach. Warstwa empiryczna badania powstawala w latach 2006–2008 i 2012–2014 w wyniku systematycznego gromadzenia ankiet wypelnianych przez przedsiebiorstwa przemyslowe. Za lata 2006–2008 zebrano 674 kwestionariusze, natomiast za lata 2012–2014 juz 951. Cześc metodyczna analiz zostala oparta na rachunku prawdopodobienstwa bazującym na modelowaniu probitowym. W wyniku przeprowadzonych badan mozna powiedziec, ze zblizenie przestrzenne (środowisko lokalne i regionalne) nie sprzyja pobudzaniu aktywności innowacyjnej, ale juz zasieg krajowy jest warunkiem wystarczającym, choc najwyzszą intensywnośc mozna zaobserwowac dopiero, gdy przedsiebiorstwa dzialają na rynku miedzynarodowym.

Analizując wspolprace w zakresie innowacji, w ktorej jedną stroną są przedsiebiorstwa przemyslowe, trzeba podkreślic, ze interesujące wydaje sie zbadanie, z jakimi grupami podmiotow wspolpracują przedsiebiorstwa w zalezności od ich dzialu PKD. W tym kontekście celem niniejszego artykulu bylo ustalenie, w ramach jakich dzialow PKD wystepuje wspolpraca sektorowa i z jakimi dzialami PKD wspolpracują takie podmioty ze sfery nauki, jak jednostki PAN, szkoly wyzsze, krajowe jednostki naukowo-badawcze i zagraniczne jednostki naukowo-badawcze. Badanie bazowalo na kwestionariuszach ankietowych wyslanych do przedsiebiorstw przemyslowych z wojewodztw zachodniopomorskiego, lubuskiego i dolnośląskiego w latach 2012–2014. Metodyczne aspekty badania bazują na wieloczynnikowej analizie logitowej.

Vus de Pologne, les pays éloignés sont perçus à travers de multiples clichés. Cependant, contrairement à ce qu’on pourrait attendre, le voisinage proche, les affinités politiques, la distance géographique réduite ne préservent pas des stéréotypes. Littérature de voyage, reportage, exploration — les récits dont je me propose de parler relèvent bien de ces trois catégories. Mariusz Szczygieł est un journaliste et un écrivain polonais né en 1966. Son livre Gottland (2006 ) raconte l’histoire de la Bohême ; le suivant, Zrób sobie raj [Chacun son paradis, 2010], parle de la place de la religion en Tchéquie et se penche sur l’histoire récente de ce pays. Krzysztof Varga, moitié polonais, moitié hongrois, né en 1968, est l’auteur d’une bonne dizaine de livres dont Gulasz z turula [Goulash de tourul, 2008] et Czardasz z mangalicą [Czardas avec un porc mangalitza, 2014], deux livres consacrés à la Hongrie. Comme l’auteur le dit lui-même, ces deux ouvrages lui ont surtout permis de prendre un peu de distance à l’égard de la polonité. Les deux écrivains, tous deux journalistes à Gazeta Wyborcza, tous les deux publiés par même maison d’édition (Czarne), poursuivent un projet similaire. Mariusz Szczygieł se présente comme un tchécophile malpropre et Varga se demande d’où vient le sentiment d’amitié que les Polonais vouent aux Hongrois. Leurs livres sont-ils des reportages ou des voyages à l’intérieur de soi ? Seen from Poland, faraway countries are perceived through mutiple clichés. Yet, contraty to what we could expect, nexdoor neighbours with political affinites and geographical proximity are not exempt from these stereotypes. Travel literature, press reporting and exploration are three categories to which the narrative I intend to deal with belong. Mariusz Szczygieł is a Polish journalist and writer, born in 1966. His book Gottland [2006 ] tells the history of Bohemia, and the following one, Zrób sobie raj [To each one his Paradise, 2010], speaks of the importance of religion in the Czech republic and focuses on the recent history of the country. Krzysztof Varga, half-Polish and half-Hungarian, born in 1968, is the author of a over ten books including Gulasz z turula [Goulash de tourul, 2008] and Czardasz z mangalicą [Czardas with a pig mangalitza, 2014], two books devoted to Hungary. As the author himself puts it, these two works mainly allowed him to distance himself from Polishness. Both writers are journalists for Gazeta Wyborcza, both are published by the same publishing house (Czarne) and are engaged in a similar pursuit. Mariusz Szczygieł appears as an unclean Czechophile and Varga wonders about the origin of the friendly feelings that the Poles have for the Hungarians. Are their books reporting of self-exploring travels?

Almost 90 per cent of total electric energy produced in Poland derived from burning coal. Minimizing negative environmental impact is especially important when using lignite energy production. The paper presents ecological benefits of modern energy production methods. The evaluation of environmental benefits has been conducted in consistency with norms ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, with the assistance of assessments methods included in the SimaPro 7 software. The calculations were based on the assessment procedure of Ecoindicator 99. The method allows for estimating the environmental impact of each stage of the energy production process, especially when it comes to the impact category of fossil fuels. This aspect is particularly important for the study of the environmental impact of electricity production in Polish coal-fired power plants. The LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) has been carried out to examine the impact of electric energy production of one of the biggest power plants in Poland. The results show that modernization of energy blocks as well as the greenhouse gas reducing installations would significantly reduce the negative impact of the electric energy production.

An easy access to products containing caffeine makes it widely consumed to excess by the general population, including pregnant women. Beverages containing caffeine are consumed at different temperatures (iced, hot, room temperature). Caffeine easily passes through biological membranes, including the blood-brain barrier, the placental barrier, and can also enter the amniotic fluid, breast milk and semen. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between caffeine’s developmental toxicity, and the solution’s temperature (both low and high) administered to pregnant female rats. Fertilized females were randomly divided into two main groups: an experimental (E) and a control group (C). The experimental groups received caffeine (30mg/day) in 10 (E 1 ), 25 (E 2 ) and 45 o C (E 3 ). The females in the control group were given water at the same temperature (C 1 , C 2 and C 3 ). On the day 21 of pregnancy, the pregnant females were killed by decapitation, using a specially prepared laboratory guillotine, after which the mothers’ internal organs were weighed. Additionally, the offspring were examined using standard teratological methods. The study found that caffeine administered to pregnant females at a dose of 30mg/day and at the temperatures of 10°C, 25°C or 45°C did not produce any teratogenic effects. The only sign of its adverse effect was the appearance of developmental abnormalities in the form of haematomas and saturated bleeding in the internal organs. These changes most frequently occurred in foetuses of females which received caffeine at 10°C or 45°C.

Dizziness is a symptom of many diseases. Patients very frequently come with such ailment to the hospital emergency department. It is a state which may last a few seconds or minutes and increase or recede with time. Therefore, the admitted patients frequently cannot assess their own illness in a precise and objective way. The dizziness definition is also quite ambiguous. Dizziness is defined as the sensation of one own’s body movement or spinning and movement of the surrounding. It is very important to record the patient’s medical history since the diagnostic procedure may depend on the symptoms’ character. Dizziness may be a symptom of a serious disease, although it is not easy to find its cause. It appears not only in case of the labyrinth and nervous system disorders, but also in the systemic and functional diseases. Dizziness and balance disorder are the direct cause of admitting one in every thirty patients. The symptom indicated the directly life-threatening disease only within the 3-8.5% of patients (cerebral circulation insufficiency - 6%, cardiac dysrhythmia - 1.5%, brain tumour < 1%). Analyzing the data concerning the problem of dizziness occurrence within the general population, it has been noticed that this symptom has been reported two or three times more frequent by women than by men. Dizzinesses are classified pathogenetically and clinically into labyrinthine and non-labyrinthine, paroxysmal and permanent, acute and chronic. Dizziness is hard to diagnose because the symptoms reported by patients are only their own subjective sensations. The data presented in the article implicate the increasing number of patients with such disorders. Apart from dizziness, the patients complain also about the hearing disorders and nausea, which make their proper functioning impossible. It is inappropriate to start the treatment without knowing the cause. Establishing, on the basis of patient’s medical history and physical examination, whether the dizziness is of peripheral or central origin, is essential for the further diagnosis. After establishing the main diagnosis, the casual and symptomatic treatment is implemented, in some cases - there is a vestibular rehabilitation or even a surgical treatment.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disease of unknown etiology and varied picture and clinical course. The intensity and the outcome of LCH treatment depend on the amount and type of the affected organs, their dysfunction and age of the patient. In this paper we present the diagnostic difficulties in a 19-month-old girl with multisystem LCH, manifesting mainly by persistent fever, deep anemia, hepatosplenomegaly and lymphadenopathy, coexisting with EBV infection and urinary tract infection. On diagnosis, LCH was suspected once the bone lesions were detected on CT scans, which, however, were not confirmed in the bone scintigraphy. Histopathological diagnosis of LCH was based on the histopathological examination of the cervical lymph node, in which CD1a expression was detected. Myelogram morphologically was assessed as normal; however, bone marrow smears were respectively found to express CD1a. The patient received aggressive and long-lasting treatment according to the protocol LCH in 2009, yielding a complete clinical remission of LCH.

The ability of fast response in case of increasing health problems of a child which lead directly to life-threatening situations is a necessary condition for creating opportunity of child’s survival until it will be transported to intensive care unit, where it will be provided with care by a specialist. In case of healthy children the most common cause of acute respiratory failure is obstruction of upper respiratory tract. There is an enormous variety of causes of upper airway obstruction, but the most important are the result of congenital defects, acute inflammation, anaphylactic reactions, foreign body aspiration and injuries. Consequence of the hypoventilation resulting from significant impediment of airflow through the obstructed airways is impaired gas exchange in the lungs. This leads to the increasing hypoxemia (PaO 2 45 mmHg). This condition is called the total respiratory failure. The persistence of hypoventilation leads to hypoxia of vital organs (heart muscle, brain), increased anaerobic metabolism, acidosis, and inevitably to cardiac arrest as a result of homeostasis disorders. Respiratory failure is defined as acute when developing suddenly and is potentially reversible. We can find such a situation in the fast-increasing stenosis of the larynx. Symptoms of severe dyspnoea occur in a short time, but can be interrupted by an effective airway patency. Acute respiratory failure is a state of direct threat to life, which is why it is crucial to give a prompt aid to the sick child. The aim of this paper is to discuss the signs and symptoms, knowledge of which is essential for rapid identification and initial differentiation of the causes of acute upper airway obstruction in children. The principles of first-aid for children with acute respiratory failure and above all the description of life-saving procedures will be presented.

The prose of Kazimierz Brandys shows a constant questioning about its narrative structures. It reveals different tricks concerning the organization of the literary fiction: crypto-biography, mixing genres and styles, decomposition of discursive forms, self-creation, self-review (reinterpretations of previous works on the principle of distancing), romantic stylization, etc. Writing signs are pathetically opposed with notes of diarist tirelessly scrutinizing the daily realities. The rhetoric of the author of Letters to Ms Z never disregards the horizon of the readers expectations, Theartistic project of The Notebooks seems to be carried out through a dialectic confrontation (voluntarily articulated) between romantic fiction and the logbook. Indeed, Autobiography establishes a kind of separation between the two programmed me (the one of the statement, and of the enunciation), between the wrinting person and the described character. Moreover, at any time the purpose is to update the vision of«realistic» things perceived, without sacrificing the consciousness, the fundamental concern of literary performance. Brandys tries to snatch the romance of its only narrative function, creating fables and stories, and invest alongside another duty, that of restoring a privileged contact with the surrounding world., la prose de Kazimierz Brandys exhibe un questionnement constant à propos de ses structures narratives. On y découvre différents stratagèmes au niveau de l’organisation de la fiction littéraire : crypto-biographie, mélange de genres et de styles, décomposition des formes discursives, auto-création, auto-commentaire (relectures des oeuvres précédentes selon le principe de la distanciation), stylisation romantique, etc. Les signes de l’écriture s’opposent de manière pathétique aux notes de diariste scrutant inlassablement les réalités quotidiennes. La rhétorique de l’auteur de Lettres à Madame Z ne fait jamais abstraction de l’horizon d’attente des lecteurs du moment, ceux qui abordent le texte dans un lieu et un tempsbien définis. Le projet artistique des Carnets semble être mené à bien à travers un affrontement dialectique (volontairement articulé) entre la fiction romanesque et le journal de bord. C’est bien l’autobiographie qui établit une sorte de séparation programmée entre les deux moi (celui de l’énoncé, celui de l’énonciation), entre la personne écrivant et le personnage qu’elle décrit. De surcroît, il s’agit à tout moment de réactualiser la vision « réaliste » des choses perçues au fil des jours, sans toutefois renoncer à la conscience, au souci fondamental de la performance littéraire. Brandys s’efforce d’arracher le roman à sa fonction exclusivement narrative, génératrice de fables et de récits, pour l’investir parallèlement d’un autre devoir, celui de restaurer un contact privilégié avec le monde ambiant., Proza Kazimierza Brandysa ujawnia liczne eksperymenty narracyjne. Przybiera ona formy gatunkowe takie jak krypto-biografia, powieść auto tematyczna, powieść epistolarna, wywiad radiowy, reportaż, nota do wydawcy, scenariusz filmowy itp. Eseizacja opowiadań, estetyka fragmentu, montaż utworu z kawałków innych tekstów, to typowe cechy wypowiedzi sylwicznych. Natomiast mniej więcej od połowy lat siedemdziesiątych autor Nierzeczywistości i Ronda próbuje systematycznie łączyć formułę wypowiedzi powieściowej z dokumentaryzmem. Odtąd właśnie autobiografia, jako określone i wybrane miejsce kreacyjnych zmagań, pozwala Brandysowi na programowe rozszczepienie “ja” autorskiego od “ja” bohatera opowiadającego. Metoda ta prowadzi go nieuchronnie do załamań i falowań głównych linii kompozycyjnych. Technika przebrań fabularnych oraz dialektycznych zderzeń świata fikcjonalnego z rzeczywistym rzuca podwaliny pod oryginalny rodzaj poetyki, której ramy umacniają się w miarę jak doskonalą się środki warsztatowe pisarza od powieści do dziennika i od dziennika do powieści. Przygody Robinsona jawią się nam, w zestawieniu z Rondem, Miesiącami czy Zapamiętanym jako częściowy (choć nie całkowity) powrót do literackiej fikcji sensu stricto, a przynajmniej do kilku jej koronnychatrybutów. Tak więc w konsekwencji zwycięża świadoma gra z czytelnikiem, którastaje się atrakcyjną sprężyną utworu. Przeszczep fikcji w prawdziwe przeżycia autoranie udaje się, albowiem fikcja i nieprawda to dwie różne sprawy nie przystające dosiebie. Po przeczytaniu tej powieści mamy wrażenie, że Kazimierz Brandys jest świadomfaktu, iż “autentyczna”, godna zaufania autobiografia, gdyby nawet przyjąć, żetaka istnieje, może co najwyżej, biorąc pod uwagę niedoskonałość wszelkiej konwencjireality show, pretendować do rangi nieudanej tragedii.

The publication of Cinnamon Shops precedes by just one year the Nobel Prize in medicine given to Hans Sperman, who a few years later, in 1938, proposed a crucial experiment of removing from an unfertilized egg cell its nucleus and replacing it with the nucleus of a cell of an embryo. From our present point of view it is hard not to notice a prophetic bent of Schulz’s fiction even if Jacob’s experimental assumption does not quite correspond to the process of cloning as we know it. Also Father’s ornithological experiment is a key component of the narrative structure of the Cinnamon Shops as a kind of frame that consolidates particular stories. The mystical student of the matter does not renounce the discourse of science even though the order which he creates becomes more and more fantastic, while he suffers from the metaphysical and anthropological anxiety about the alien handicapped creatures.

The literature review reveals diverging views on the influence of economic cycles on the innovation activity of companies. This article is a voice in this discussion. It provides, empirically verified arguments, allowing one to support or reject the accepted research hypotheses. These assume that: (1) The expectations with respect to income dynamics play a more important role in stimulating innovation activity than the dynamics of (actual) income levels; and (2) Different economic structures and levels of technological development in the chosen Balkan states, despite the geographic proximity of these states and similarity in economic situation, influence the geographic differentiation in terms of the innovation activity. The obtained research results show a greater differentiation in terms of actions of companies than previously thought. It has been confirmed that when the companies sense an improvement in economic situation, their innovation activity increases, this is, however, accompanied by a noticeable anticipatory element. It turned out that the expectations regarding an improvement in economic conditions have an additional stimulating effect on such an activity, whereas the recession itself, as well as the expectations in that respect, have a de-stimulating effect. It turned out that the expectations with regard to the future economic situation are the most important here, a factor that has been neglected so far.

Aim The aim of the study was to analyse the reason of elevated hemoglobin concentration in childhood. Background Elevated hemoglobin concentration is a rare abnormality during childhood. There are disorders of hereditary or acquired hyperproliferations of red cells or pseudo high hemoglobin conditions. Materials and methods We present 3 asymptomatic children in whom high hemoglobin concentration was diagnosed by a family doctor. Results Given that the iron concentration was elevated, genetic testing for HFE mutation was carried out. Conclusion Patients presented with HFE mutation might have an increased hemoglobin production.

Background: Caffeine is one of the most frequently ingested (at various temperatures) xenobiotics by people. A number of studies have confirmed the negative effect of high doses of caffeine ingested during pregnancy both for the mother and the developing foetus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between caffeine’s toxicity on development and the administered solution’stemperature. Materials and methods: The research was conducted on rats. The fertilised females were randomly divided into two main groups: an experimental (E) and a control group (C). The experimental groups received caffeine (30 mg/day) in10 (E1), 25 (E2) and 45°C (E3). The females in the control group were given water at the same temperature (C1, C2 and C3). On the 21st day of pregnancy, the pregnant females were killed by decapitation using a specially prepared laboratory guillotine and were assessed morphometric parameters of foetuses. Results and Conclusions: Based on this work showed that: the embryotoxic effect of caffeine was only confined to a reduction in the number of offspring; the greatest changes in the morphometric parameters occurred in foetuses whose mothers received caffeine at 10°C; in the control groups, the greatest changes were observed in foetuses whose mothers were given water at 10°C during pregnancy.

Caffeine (120 mg/kg) was administered intragastrically to pregnant rats daily on gestational days 8-21. An increase in serum concentration of glucose and total protein was found in animals, which were given caffeine. The protein content proved to be highly significant in the experimental group of animals. The control group showed a negative interdependence between body weight gain and glucose concentration. No correlation was found between body weight gain and total protein concentration, yet the glucose concentration significantly influenced the total protein concentration in this group of animals. Among animals which received caffeine, correlations between total protein and glucose concentrations were observed. The analysis did not show that the glucose or total protein concentration significantly influenced the body weight gain of pregnant female rats in the experimental group. The research conducted suggests the possibility of modulating effects of caffeine on adaptive processes during pregnancy.