LETTERS ON BIRCH BARK: HISTORY ANDCONSERVATION OF OBJECTS FROM THE MUSEUMOF REV. JÓZEF JARZĘBOWSKI IN LICHEŃ STARY

Artefacts made of and from untypical materialswith the use of sophisticated techniques preserved in museumsconstitute an exceptional challenge to museum curators. Suchis the case of two letters described in the paper, written onbirch bark by someone signed as the female: Janka and Jaśkadispatched to her mother from the Soviet Polovinka Gulag inthe Urals in 1946 and 1947. Currently, the artefacts are in thecollection of the Museum of Rev. Józef Jarzębowski in LicheńStary, while their history was explained only in the 2010s. In2022, the letters underwent museum conservation, whichallowed to find out what material they were written on andwhat technique was used for the execution, following whichthey were appropriately preserved so that they can last thelongest possible minimizing their deterioration

Scavenger receptors and β-glucan receptors participate in the recognition of yeasts by murine macrophages

Objectives: Numerous receptors have been implicated in recognition of pathogenic fungi by macrophages, including the $\beta$-glucan receptor dectin-1. The role of scavenger receptors (SRs) in anti-fungal immunity is not well characterized. Methods: We studied uptake of unopsonized Saccharomycetes cerevisiae (zymosan) and live Candida albicans yeasts as well as zymosan-stimulated $H_2O_2$ production in J774 macrophage-like cells and peritoneal exudate macrophages (PEMs). The role of different receptors was assessed with the use of competitive ligands, transfected cells and receptor-deficient macrophages. Results: The uptake of zymosan by untreated J774 cells was mediated approximately half by SRs and half by a $\beta$-glucan receptor which was distinct from dectin-1 and not linked to stimulation of $H_2O_2$ production. Ligands of $\beta$-glucan receptors and of SRs also inhibited uptake of C. albicans by macrophages (J774 cells and PEMs). In macrophages pretreated with a CpG motif-containing oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN) the relative contribution of SRs to yeast uptake increased and that of $\beta$-glucan receptors decreased. Whereas the class A SR MARCO participated in the uptake of both zymosan and C. albicans by CpG-ODN-pretreated, but not untreated macrophages, the related receptor SR-A/CD204 was involved in the uptake of zymosan, but not of C. albicans. The reduction of zymosan-stimulated $H_2O_2$ production observed in DS-pretreated J774 cells and in class A SRs-deficient PEMs suggest that class A SRs mediate part of this process. Conclusions: Our results revealed that SRs belong to a redundant system of receptors for yeasts. Binding of yeasts to different receptors in resting versus CpG-ODN-pre-exposed macrophages may differentially affect polarization of adaptive immune responses

Centralny magazyn zbiorów muzealnych – nowe zadanie narodowego instytutu muzealnictwa i ochrony zbiorów

Museum is collections. Their safe and appropriate storage has always been and will remain the basic statutory activity of every museum. As can be found in both domestic and international sources, merely a fraction of museums’ collections is on permanent display, while their remaining part is kept in museums’ storerooms. Therefore, the priority goal of every museum, of its management, and organizer, should be the availability of an adequate storage area. Regrettably, history and praxis demonstrate that it is precisely within this field that museums have always had and continue having the greatest needs. Worldwide museology faces the ongoing challenge of museum collection storage, and this is the challenge that Polish museums face as well. Fortunately, for over two decades a process of actual transformation in this respect has been occurring, the latter resulting in modern storage facilities being built. These, complying with the latest standards, shall guarantee high-quality protection to the collections, as well as a low-budget construction, and low energy consumption in the course of operations. Poland, too, has been participating in these changes. Recently, the topic of museum storage areas has entered the list of priority tasks of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, which in 2016 commissioned the National Institute for Museums and Public Collections (NIMOZ) to provide appropriate reports, analyses, and concepts, while in 2018 it formally assigned the Construction of the Central Storage Facility for Museum Collections Project (CMZM) to NIMOZ. A new position of the Director’s Proxy for the Central Storage Facility for Museum Collections has been created. This means that a major development in the history of Polish museology has taken place: at the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and its subordinate cultural institution definite steps have formally been taken in order to resolve the problems of museum collection storage in Poland. The assumption has been made that CMZM will be a pilot and model solution that can be followed by subsequent storage facilities for museums in Poland’s other regions.Muzeum to zbiory. Bezpieczne i odpowiednie ich przechowywanie zawsze było, jest i będzie podstawowym, statutowym działaniem każdego muzeum. Jak wynika z krajowych i międzynarodowych źródeł, w muzeach eksponuje się na stałe jedynie niewielki procent ich zbiorów, a pozostałą ogromną większość przechowuje się w magazynach. W związku z tym właśnie posiadanie odpowiedniej powierzchni magazynowej powinno być zawsze pierwszoplanowym celem każdego muzeum, jego zarządu i organizatora. Niestety, historia i praktyka pokazują, że właśnie w tym obszarze muzea zawsze miały i nadal mają największe potrzeby. Światowe muzealnictwo zmaga się z ciągle aktualnym problemem w obszarze magazynowania muzealnych zbiorów, który w znacznym stopniu dotyczy również polskich muzeów. Szczęśliwie, od przeszło dwóch dekad trwa proces rzeczywistych zmian w tym obszarze. Ich efektem są nowo budowane, nowoczesne magazyny, które zgodnie ze współczesnymi standardami, zapewniają wysoki poziom ochrony zbiorów, przy jednoczesnym zastosowaniu ekonomicznych kosztów budowy oraz niskiego zużycia energii podczas eksploatacji. Również Polska uczestniczy w tych zmianach. W ostatnich latach temat muzealnych magazynów znalazł się na liście ważnych zadań Ministerstwa Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego, które w 2016 r. zleciło NIMOZowi opracowanie odpowiednich raportów, analiz i koncepcji, a w 2018 r. formalnie powierzyło zadanie inwestycyjne pn. Budowa Centralnego Magazynu Zbiorów Muzealnych (CMZM). W strukturze organizacyjnej NIMOZ-u umieszczono nowe stanowisko Pełnomocnika Dyrektora ds. Centralnego Magazynu Zbiorów Muzealnych. Tym samym nastąpił niezwykle ważny moment w historii polskiego muzealnictwa – w MKiDN i podległej mu instytucji kultury oficjalnie podjęto konkretne czynności zmierzające do rozwiązania problemów magazynowania muzealnych zbiorów w Polsce. Zakłada się, że CMZM stanie się pilotażowym i modelowym rozwiązaniem, na którego przykładzie można będzie tworzyć kolejne magazyny dla muzeów w innych regionach Polski

THE POSSIBILITY OF USING THE COMPANIES FOR PROTECTING PEOPLE AND MEANINGS IN ENSURING SAFETY IN THE SITUATION OF THE INCREASED TERRORIST THREATS

The authors have been involved in the functioning of the private sector in Poland for over twenty years. These are not only theoretical considerations, but supported by extensive experience. Both as police officers supervised specialized armed protective formations and participated in the process of training security personnel. They were also consultants in the creation of the first legal regulation in Poland which defines the rights and obligations of both security staff and entrepreneurs conducting business in this area. Currently, they are security auditors in large entities protected by SUFO. On a daily basis, they examine the level of services provided by these formations, they indicate weaknesses, errors or legal deficiencies negatively affecting the performance of tasks entrusted to security personnel. In this publication, they point to contemporary terrorist threats resulting, among other things, from the uncontrolled wave of migration that is sweeping through Europe. They present examples of spectacular terrorist attacks that took place in European countries in 2017. Against this background, they perceive the necessity of optimal functioning of the state security system not only at the government and local government levels, but also at the local level served by commercial security entities

NATIONAL CENTRE FOR RESEARCH ON HERITAGE – A NEW INITIATIVE ON THE MAP OF POLISH MUSEOLOGY

Not so long ago, Poland was one of the European countries which lacked a research centre which would support museum institutions. Meeting numerous needs, the National Museum in Cracow (NMC) had been sharing the resources of its Laboratory with other museum institutions. This is how the National Centre for Research on Heritage (hereafter the Centre) was founded. Relying on equipment and specialists from the NMC Laboratory, the Centre offers multilateral research on objects and collections to Polish museum institutions. It organises contests which all Polish museums may apply to with their research projects. The Centre focuses on three main activities. Firstly, it carries out technological projects comprising the composition and features of materials used to make works of art. Secondly, there are projects linking technological research with analyses of the state of preservation and environmental conditions in order to safeguard works or sets of art or which are particularly culturally valuable. The third activity consists in joint interdisciplinary expertise with external research units. The Centre has also undertaken its own longterm programme of research into managing the protection of collections in a sustainable and effective way. Within the framework of the programme, methodology and tools for the quantitative assessment of risk are prepared. The development of the National Centre for Research, based on the already existing potential of the NMC, allows the effective usage of collected research equipment and the adaption of its activity to the real needs of museum institutions. At the same time, an important area of the Centre’s activity is the coordination and possibility of using the potential of groups conducting research in the field of heritage at the Polish Academy of Sciences or at higher education institutions. The next goal of the NMC is to expand the Centre’s activity on conservation work

NATIONAL CENTRE FOR RESEARCH ON HERITAGE – A NEW INITIATIVE ON THE MAP OF POLISH MUSEOLOGY

Not so long ago, Poland was one of the European countries which lacked a research centre which would support museum institutions. Meeting numerous needs, the National Museum in Cracow (NMC) had been sharing the resources of its Laboratory with other museum institutions. This is how the National Centre for Research on Heritage (hereafter the Centre) was founded. Relying on equipment and specialists from the NMC Laboratory, the Centre offers multilateral research on objects and collections to Polish museum institutions. It organises contests which all Polish museums may apply to with their research projects. The Centre focuses on three main activities. Firstly, it carries out technological projects comprising the composition and features of materials used to make works of art. Secondly, there are projects linking technological research with analyses of the state of preservation and environmental conditions in order to safeguard works or sets of art or which are particularly culturally valuable. The third activity consists in joint interdisciplinary expertise with external research units. The Centre has also undertaken its own longterm programme of research into managing the protection of collections in a sustainable and effective way. Within the framework of the programme, methodology and tools for the quantitative assessment of risk are prepared. The development of the National Centre for Research, based on the already existing potential of the NMC, allows the effective usage of collected research equipment and the adaption of its activity to the real needs of museum institutions. At the same time, an important area of the Centre’s activity is the coordination and possibility of using the potential of groups conducting research in the field of heritage at the Polish Academy of Sciences or at higher education institutions. The next goal of the NMC is to expand the Centre’s activity on conservation work.Jeszcze niedawno Polska należała do nielicznych krajów europejskich, które nie posiadały centrum badawczego wspierającego placówki muzealne. Wychodząc naprzeciw licznym potrzebom Muzeum Narodowe w Krakowie (MNK) od dekady udostępnia zasoby własnego Laboratorium innym placówkom muzealnym. W ten sposób powstało Krajowe Centrum Badań nad Dziedzictwem (dalej Centrum). W oparciu o aparaturę i specjalistów z Laboratorium MNK Centrum oferuje polskim placówkom muzealnym wielostronne badania obiektów i zbiorów. Organizuje konkursy, na które projekty badawcze mogą zgłaszać wszystkie polskie muzea. Działalność Centrum koncentruje się na 3 głównych aktywnościach. Pierwszą są badania technologiczne obejmujące skład i cechy materiałów, z których wykonano dzieła sztuki. Drugą są projekty łączące badania technologiczne z analizami stanu zachowania i warunków środowiskowych w celu ochrony dzieł sztuki lub ich zespołów mających szczególne znaczenie dla kultury. Trzecia aktywność to wykonywanie wspólnie z zewnętrznymi jednostkami badawczymi ekspertyz interdyscyplinarnych. Centrum podjęło również własny długofalowy program badań nad zarządzaniem ochroną zbiorów w sposób zrównoważony i efektywny. W ramach programu powstają metodyka i narzędzia ilościowej oceny zagrożeń. Rozwój krajowego centrum badawczego bazującego na potencjale już istniejącym w MNK pozwala na efektywne wykorzystanie zgromadzonej aparatury badawczej oraz podporządkowanie działań rzeczywistym potrzebom placówek muzealnych. Jednocześnie ważną sferą działalności Centrum jest koordynacja i możliwość korzystania z potencjału grup badawczych prowadzących badania w obszarze dziedzictwa w Polskiej Akademii Nauk, czy na wyższych uczelniach. Kolejnym celem MNK jest rozszerzenie działalności Centrum o prace konserwatorskie

Non-Invasive Study of Pigment Palette Used by Olga Boznańska Investigated with Analytical Imaging, XRF, and FTIR Spectroscopy

The scientific examination and comparative investigation of pigments are fundamental for further understanding and analysis of historic and artistic works, and particularly useful for conservators. In fine art authentication, investigations are strongly focused on the identification of the painting materials used by the author. This study is focused on the use of non-invasive analytical techniques to increase the knowledge of the painting technique of Olga Boznańska. The aim of this study was to assess the technology, painting technique, and materials used by Olga Boznańska. The pallets, tubes with the paints, and several oil paintings were studied. For each painting, a series of images were recorded using various ranges of electromagnetic radiation, including near-infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, and X-rays. In order to characterize the pigments present in the paint layer, measurements of the elemental composition by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) were carried out. The ground layers and paints were measured with infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). This allowed us to identify the artist’s painting technique and determine how she executed her painting, how she applied the paints, and what pigments she used

Non-Invasive Study of Pigment Palette Used by Olga Boznańska Investigated with Analytical Imaging, XRF, and FTIR Spectroscopy

The scientific examination and comparative investigation of pigments are fundamental for further understanding and analysis of historic and artistic works, and particularly useful for conservators. In fine art authentication, investigations are strongly focused on the identification of the painting materials used by the author. This study is focused on the use of non-invasive analytical techniques to increase the knowledge of the painting technique of Olga Boznańska. The aim of this study was to assess the technology, painting technique, and materials used by Olga Boznańska. The pallets, tubes with the paints, and several oil paintings were studied. For each painting, a series of images were recorded using various ranges of electromagnetic radiation, including near-infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, and X-rays. In order to characterize the pigments present in the paint layer, measurements of the elemental composition by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) were carried out. The ground layers and paints were measured with infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). This allowed us to identify the artist’s painting technique and determine how she executed her painting, how she applied the paints, and what pigments she used