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the production of cellular energy, bone calcium, and tumorous cells. The Department of Radiology of the Gdansk Medical Academy has contributed to pneumoencephalographic identification of organic changes in the brain of drug addicts. Environmentalists have studies the effects of natural radioactive isotopes and toxic substances released into the atmosphere by fuel consumption in power plants.
Military medical research is under the direction of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare; its liaison office with the army is staffed entirely by military personnel. The overall planning of tri-service military medical research is performed by the Scientific Research Division, Health Department, Polish Armed Forces. Military medical research facilities are better equipped than civilian facilities and have qualified personnel; however, civilian resources also are used extensively for military medical research, probably for political reasons, and the results of all medical research are automatically made available to the armed forces.
Two important military facilities engaged in biomedical research are the Military Institute of Aviation Medicine (MIAM), Warsaw, and the Central Institute for Air Medical Examinations (CIAME), Otwock. These facilities conduct research on operational aviation medical problems, including the design and use of personnel protective devices, physiological conditioning, physical training, hypoxia, altitude adaptation, and selection criteria. Since 1960 the Military Institute of Aviation Medicine has contributed basic research toward the Soviet manned space program on the effect of weightlessness and possibly also on human factors research relating to spacesuit design. The General Karol Kaczkowski Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Warsaw, and the Military Medical Academy, Lodz, also perform research for the services. There is a continuing exchange of space medical personnel with the U.S.S.R.
6. Other sciences (S)
a. Chemistry and metallurgy
Poland has a broad and well-balanced program of chemical research. Most of the important branches of chemistry are covered in depth, with the greatest strength in organic chemistry. The country has a large number of facilities, both educational institutions and research institutes, which conduct fundamental and applied chemical research. Because of the country's interest in developing the organic chemical, pharmaceutical, synthetic fiber, petrochemical, plastics, and fertilizer industries, applied research is receiving increasing emphasis, but important fundamental chemical research is continuing. Poland has a number of outstanding chemists who have obtained worldwide recognition for their achievements in special fields.
Several of the higher educational institutions and research institutes are strong in synthetic organic chemistry and in the study of organic chemical reactions. The Technical University of Warsaw is doing important work on the synthesis of organic nitrogen and boron compounds, heterocyclics, and antituberculosis drugs. Involved in the research at the university is Prof. Tadeusz Urbanski (possibly now in semiretirement), one of Poland's most outstanding chemists. He is noted for his synthetic studies and his extensive work on the preparation, properties, and reactions of organic nitro compounds, including explosives. The synthesis of pharmacologically active organic compounds is a subject of particular interest at the Pharmaceutical Institute, Warsaw, and the Medical Academy at Warsaw. Jan Michalski, Professor of Organic Synthesis, Technical University of Lodz, heads an active group which works on substituted pyridines and organic phosphorus compounds (especially those containing sulfur and selenium atoms). Organic chemists at the University of Lodz have been concerned with significant work on the synthesis of amino alcohols, heterocyclic nitrogen and sulfur compounds, and in the use of the Mannich reaction for the synthesis of heterocyclic systems. There is a substantial amount of organic research related to natural products. Thus, the University of Warsaw does research on steroids (including the synthesis of nitrogen analogs), terpenes, and sugar derivatives; the PAN Institute of Organic Chemistry, Warsaw, does work on steroids and monosaccharides.
A good capability exists in physical organic chemistry. Michalski's interests at the Technical University of Lodz extend to organic reaction mechanisms and stereochemistry. Research at the Technical University of Warsaw is strong in reactions of nitroparaffins and organic anions and in reaction mechanisms generally. The Institute of Organic Chemistry has an outstanding capability in physical organic chemistry and does work on nuclear magnetic resonance, steric effects, isomerization, and infrared spectra and structure of substituted unsaturated carbonyl compounds.
There is considerable organic chemical research related to the country's plans for large increases in production of synthetic fibers, plastics, pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemicals, and other organic products. Petrochemical research and development
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