Defects in memory B-cell and plasma cell subsets expressing different immunoglobulin-subclasses in patients with CVID and immunoglobulin subclass deficiencies

Background: Predominantly antibody deficiencies (PADs) are the most prevalent primary immunodeficiencies, but their B-cell defects and underlying genetic alterations remain largely unknown. Objective: We investigated patients with PADs for the distribution of 41 blood B-cell and plasma cell (PC) subsets, including subsets defined by expression of distinct immunoglobulin heavy chain subclasses. Methods: Blood samples from 139 patients with PADs, 61 patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), 68 patients with selective IgA deficiency (IgAdef), 10 patients with IgG subclass deficiency with IgA deficiency, and 223 agematched control subjects were studied by using flow cytometry with EuroFlow immunoglobulin isotype staining. Patients were classified according to their B-cell and PC immune profile, and the obtained patient clusters were correlated with clinical manifestations of PADs. Results: Decreased counts of blood PCs, memory B cells (MBCs), or both expressing distinct IgA and IgG subclasses were identified in all patients with PADs. In patients with IgAdef, B-cell defects were mainly restricted to surface membrane (sm)IgA1 PCs and MBCs, with 2 clear subgroups showing strongly decreased numbers of smIgA1 PCs with mild versus severe smIgA1 MBC defects and higher frequencies of nonrespiratory tract infections, autoimmunity, and affected family members. Patients with IgG subclass deficiency with IgA deficiency and those with CVID showed defects in both smIgA1 and smIgG1 MBCs and PCs. Reduced numbers of switched PCs were systematically found in patients with CVID (absent in 98%), with 6 different defective MBC (and clinical) profiles: (1) profound decrease in MBC numbers; (2) defective CD271 MBCs with almost normal IgG3 1 MBCs; (3) absence of switched MBCs; and (4) presence of both unswitched and switched MBCs without and; (5) with IgG2 1 MBCs; and (6) with IgA

Możliwości optymalizacji łańcucha logistycznego w zakładzie produkcyjnym

The market economy is, among other, characterized by the fact that businesses are able to respond promptly to market demands - customers. In practice, this means that the customer wants to have the goods at the location at a specific time and provided in adequate quality and price, which is determined by the market supply and demand. One of the options to increase business efficiency and competitiveness in general is to reduce production costs or the total cost. Logistics costs (in literature also referred to as "total costs") represent a very high proportion of these costs. They are part of the total cost, which greatly affect management of the company. The paper outlines the possibility of how these costs can be reduced, based on an analysis and using rationalization approach to the current state of the organization and its management, without requiring significant costs of implementing certain measures.Gospodarkę rynkową charakteryzuje między innymi fakt, że przedsiębiorstwa są w stanie natychmiast reagować na wymagania rynku - klientów. W praktyce oznacza to, że klient chce mieć towar w lokalizacji, w określonym czasie i dostarczony w odpowiedniej jakości i cenie, która jest określana przez podaż i popyt rynku. Jedną z możliwości zwiększenia wydajności biznesu i konkurencyjności jest zredukowanie kosztów produkcji lub kosztu całkowitego. Koszty logistyczne (w literaturze również określane jako „koszty całkowite“) stanowią bardzo wysoki odsetek tych kosztów. Są one częścią kosztu całkowitego, który w znacznym stopniu wpływa na zarządzanie firmą. W artykule nakreślono sposób, w jaki koszty te mogą zostać zredukowane, na podstawie analizy i wykorzystania podejścia racjonalizacyjnego do obecnego stanu organizacji i zarządzania nią, bez konieczności stosowania znaczących kosztów wdrożenia pewnych środków

Toxoplasma gondii in protected wildlife in the Tatra National Park (TANAP), Slovakia

[i]Toxoplasma gondii[/i] is an obligatory intracellular protozoan parasite that infects a broad spectrum of warm-blooded vertebrate species. As a part of the food chain, farm animals play a significant role in transmission of [i]T. gondii [/i]to humans, while rats and mice serve as a main source of infection for free-living animals. The spread of toxoplasmosis in the human population is due to the interchange of the domestic and sylvatic cycles. During 2009–2011, a survey on toxoplasmosis distribution was conducted in wildlife of the Tatra National Park (TANAP) in Slovakia. A total of 60 animals were examined. The presence of [i]T. gondii[/i] was detected by means of molecular methods based on TGR1E gene analyses. The highest prevalence was recorded in birds (40.0%), followed by carnivores (30.8%) and rodents (18.2%). RFLP analyses of SAG2 locus confirmed in birds the genotype II and III, belonging to the avirulent strain; rodents exclusively had genotype I, characterised as a virulent train, and in carnivores all three genotypes were detected. These results present the first survey on the parasite’s occurrence in several species of free-living animals in the TANAP area. An epidemiological study confirmed the prevalence of 30.0%, implicitly referring to the level of environmental contamination with [i]T. gondii [/i]oocysts