Walki w mieście w myśli wojskowej Robotniczo-Chłopskiej Armii Czerwonej (1918–1946)

The author of the paper presented the views of theoreticians and commanders of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army (WPRA) for city fighting and conquering, since the uprising Red Army in February 1918 until the end of World War II. He discussed how the senior officers of the Red Army viewed the issue of the specificity of combat in an urbanized area – which is nowadays referred to as the black tactic. He also presented the problem – always important for commanders of both infantry, armored weapons, artillery and aviation – whether to capture cities from the front or rather encircle – forcing the enemy to withdraw his forces. The author discussed it mainly on the basis of the battles in Stalingrad and Berlin. The battles in the latter city are called the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation in the Soviet historiography. He also described the circumstances of the attack on Bobruisk during Operation Bagration. In the latter case, a dispute arose between Joseph Stalin, who was a supporter of a massive attack on this city, and Konstanty Rokossowski, who insisted on concentrically attacking along both banks of the Berezina. Interestingly, in this dispute, the Generalissimo finally agreed with K. Rokossowski. The author also presented the unsuccessful attempt to capture Kołobrzeg from the 45th Armored Brigade of the Guard of Col. Mikołaj Morgunow from the composition of the 1st Panzer Army of General Col. Mikhail Katukov and the successful campaign to capture Częstochowa from the march. The paper presents the views of the most important Soviet commanders of the Second World War: Grigory Zhukov, Konstanty Rokossowski, Ivan Koniev, Ivan Bagramian, Vasily Chukov, Grigory Nadysiew, and the German ones: Erich von Mannstein and Heinz Guderian

CD1a expression in psoriatic skin following treatment with propylthiouracil, an antithyroid thioureylene

BACKGROUND: The antithyroid thioureylenes, propylthiouracil (PTU) and methimazole (MMI), are effective in the treatment of patients with plaque psoriasis. The mechanism of action of the drugs in psoriasis is unknown. Since the drugs reduce circulating IL-12 levels in patients with Graves' hyperthyroidism, the effect of propylthiouracil on CD1a expression in psoriatic lesions was examined in biopsy samples of patients with plaque psoriasis. CD1a is a marker of differentiated skin antigen presenting cells (APC, Langerhans cells). Langerhans cells and skin monocyte/macrophages are the source of IL-12, a key cytokine involved in the events that lead to formation of the psoriatic plaque. METHODS: Biopsy specimens were obtained from six patients with plaque psoriasis who were treated with 300 mg propylthiouracil (PTU) daily for three months. Clinical response to PTU as assessed by PASI scores, histological changes after treatment, and CD1a expression in lesional skin before and after treatment were studied. RESULTS: Despite significant improvement in clinical and histological parameters the expression of CD1a staining cells in the epidermis did not decline with propylthiouracil treatment. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that the beneficial effect of propylthiouracil in psoriasis is mediated by mechanisms other than by depletion of skin antigen-presenting cells

Allergic diseases in the elderly

Demographic distribution of the population is progressively changing with the proportion of elderly persons increasing in most societies. This entails that there is a need to evaluate the impact of common diseases, such as asthma and other allergic conditions, in this age segment. Frailty, comorbidities and polymedication are some of the factors that condition management in geriatric patients. The objective of this review is to highlight the characteristics of allergic diseases in older age groups, from the influence of immunosenescence, to particular clinical implications and management issues, such as drug interactions or age-related side effects

Adam Brzechwa-Ajdukiewicz – the last commander of the 26th Infantry Division

The author presents the figure of Colonel Adam Brzechwa-Ajdukiewicz and the course of his military career in 1914–1939. Adam Ajdukiewicz was born in 1894 on the Komorniki estate near Krakow. He studied at the Lviv Polytechnic. He was a member of the independence underground organizations. In 1914, he became a soldier of Józef Piłsudski’s Polish Legions – he was, among others, the commander of a machine gun company in 4th Infantry Regiment of Polish Legions. After the oath crisis, he was conscripted into the Austro-Hungarian army. In November 1918 he joined the Polish Army – he participated in the defense of Lviv. He graduated from the General Staff School. In the Polish army he held many important positions, and the culmination of his military career was the position of commander of the 26th Infantry Division, which he assumed on March 1938. The author also briefly described the history of the 26th Infantry Division: the history of its formation, combat traditions of the regiments and locations of dislocation. In the last part of the article, the author discussed the fighting of this division in September 1939, paying special attention to the battle of Bzura – the largest battle of 1939. The “author described the activities of Gen. Adam Brzechwa-Ajdukiewicz and his fate after 1939. The general was captive, he was a prisoner of Ofia VIIA in Murnau. After the liberation of the Murnau camp by American troops, he became an officer in the 7th Infantry Division, then deputy commander of the Military Units in the Middle East. From 1947, he served in the Polish Corps for Preparation and Arrangement. After demobilization he settled in London. He died on June 6, 1954. He was buried at the Kensal Green Cemetery in London.Autor przedstawił postać pułkownika Adama Brzechwy-Ajdukiewicza oraz przebieg jego kariery wojskowej w latach 1914–1939. Adam Ajdukiewicz urodził się w 1894 r. w majątku Komorniki pod Krakowem. Studiował na Politechnice we Lwowie. Był członkiem niepodległościowych organizacji konspiracyjnych. W 1914 r. został żołnierzem Legionów Polskich Józefa Piłsudskiego – był m.in. dowódcą kompanii karabinów maszynowych 4 pułku piechoty Legionów. Po kryzysie przysięgowym wcielony został do armii austro-węgierskiej. W listopadzie 1918 r. wstąpił do Wojska Polskiego – brał udział w obronie Lwowa. Ukończył Szkołę Sztabu Generalnego. W armii polskiej pełnił wiele ważnych stanowisk, a zwieńczeniem jego kariery wojskowej było stanowisko dowódcy 26 Dywizji Piechoty, które objął w marcu 1938 r. Autor opisał także krótko jej dzieje: historię jej sformowania, tradycje bojowe pułków i miejsca dyslokacji. W ostatniej części artykułu omówiono walki dywizji we wrześniu 1939 r., szczególną uwagę poświęcając bitwie nad Bzurą – największej bitwie 1939 r. Autor opisał działania gen. bryg. Adama Brzechwy-Ajdukiewicza oraz jego losy po 1939 r. Generał znalazł się w niewoli, był jeńcem oflagu VIIA w Murnau. Po jego wyzwoleniu przez wojska amerykańskie został oficerem w 7 Dywizji Piechoty, następnie zastępcą dowódcy Jednostek Wojskowych na Środkowym Wschodzie. Od 1947 r. służył w Polskim Korpusie Przysposobienia i Rozmieszczenia. Po demobilizacji zamieszkał w Londynie. Zmarł 6 czerwca 1954 r. Pochowany został na cmentarzu Kensal Green w Londynie

Fluorescence of Photolon photosensitizer entrapped in He-La cells

W pracy badano wnikanie światłouczulacza fotolonu do komórek He-La. Przeprowadzono badania spektroskopowe fotolonu w obecności i bez formaldehydu, stosowanego do utrwalania komórek. Badania mikroskopowe przeprowadzono za pomocą mikroskopu konfokalnego. Komórki inkubowano ze światłouczulaczem przez 4 i 12 godzin. Natężenie fluorescencji fotolonu w komórkach zależy od stężenia roztworu i czasu inkubacji. W wyniku przeprowadzonych pomiarów mikroskopowych wykazano, że czas inkubacji niezbędny do zaobserwowania związku wewnątrz komórek wynosi co najmniej 4 godziny, a minimalne stężenie światłouczulacza 1 mg/ml (1,67 × 10-6 M).The entrapment of the photosensitizer Photolon into the He-La cells, was studied. The fluorescence of photosensitizer was examined without and in the presence of formaldehyde. The study was performed by means of confocal microscopy of cells incubated for 4 hours and 12 hours. It was stated that 4 hours is the shortest time of incubation allowing the observation of Photolon in the He-La cells and the minimal concentration of photosensitizer is 1mg/ml (1,67 × 10-6 M)