Defective antigen presentation by monocytes in ESRD patients not responding to hepatitis B vaccination: impaired HBsAg internalization and expression of ICAM-1 and HLA-DR/Ia molecules

This study was undertaken to evaluate the monocyte function of uraemic non-responders to hepatitis B vaccination. Therefore, some parameters concerning antigen processing by monocytes (Mo) as antigen presenting cells (APC) were analysed. It was found that in uraemic non-responders, (1) the internalization of HBsAg by monocytes was significantly decreasjed—HBsAg complexed with specific IgG or as immune complex isolated from patients is better internalized compared with free HBsAg; (2) during antigen presentation the expression of adhesion (ICAM-1) and accessory (HLA-DR/Ia) molecules was significantly decreased in uraemic patients, especially in non-responders; and (3) impaired internalization of HBsAg as well as a decrease in ICAM-1 and HLA-DR/Ia expression, correlated well with the blunted proliferation of CD4+ T cells stimulated by autologous monocytes induced by HBsAg

Nijmegen Breakage Syndrome Detected by Newborn Screening for T Cell Receptor Excision Circles (TRECs)

PURPOSE: Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) encompasses a group of disorders characterized by reduced or absent T-cell number and function and identified by newborn screening utilizing T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs). This screening has also identified infants with T lymphopenia who lack mutations in typical SCID genes. We report an infant with low TRECs and non-SCID T lymphopenia, who proved upon whole exome sequencing to have Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS). METHODS: Exome sequencing of DNA from the infant and his parents was performed. Genomic analysis revealed deleterious variants in the NBN gene. Confirmatory testing included Sanger sequencing and immunoblotting and radiosensitivity testing of patient lymphocytes. RESULTS: Two novel nonsense mutations in NBN were identified in genomic DNA from the family. Immunoblotting showed absence of nibrin protein. A colony survival assay demonstrated radiosensitivity comparable to patients with ataxia telangiectasia. CONCLUSIONS: Although TREC screening was developed to identify newborns with SCID, it has also identified T lymphopenic disorders that may not otherwise be diagnosed until later in life. Timely identification of an infant with T lymphopenia allowed for prompt pursuit of underlying etiology, making possible a diagnosis of NBS, genetic counseling, and early intervention to minimize complications

Wastewater disinfection

W artykule poddano dyskusji konieczność stosowania dezynfekcji ścieków w aspekcie ochrony zdrowia publicznego i wymagań stawianych jakości ścieków oczyszczonych. Przedstawiono metody stosowane w dezynfekcji ścieków. Omówiono obowiązujące w Polsce i za granicą regulacje prawne i praktykę dotyczącą dezynfekcji ścieków.In the article the necessity of wastewater disinfection is discussed, in the aspect of public health protection and treated sewage requirements. The methods of wastewater disinfection are presented. The regulations in Poland and abroad are discussed as well as practice in that matter

Sudden hearing loss treated with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) – case study

W pracy zaprezentowano opis przypadku 32-letniego pacjenta przyjętego do Mazowieckiego Centrum Terapii Hiperbarycznej z powodu nagłej głuchoty. Pacjent podawał w wywiadzie nagłe pogorszenie słuchu ucha prawego oraz uczucie zatkania ucha lewego z towarzyszącymi obustronnie szumami usznymi od ponad 2 miesięcy. Pacjenta zakwalifikowano do leczenia tlenem hiperbarycznym (HBO). Po 15-tu zabiegach w komorze hiperbarycznej nastąpiła całkowita poprawa słuchu po stronie prawej (potwierdzona w audiometrii tonalnej) oraz subiektywna poprawa słyszenia po stronie lewej. Przedstawiono krótki przegląd literatury, dotyczący granic czasowych wprowadzenia terapii hiperbarycznej i jej skuteczności w leczeniu nagłej głuchoty.The article presents a case study of a 32-year-old patient admitted to the Mazowia Hyperbaric Therapy Centre due to a sudden loss of hearing. In an interview the patient reported an abrupt hearing deterioration in his right ear and the feeling of congestion in the left ear with bilateral tinnitus present for over 2 months. The patient was qualified to undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO). After 15 treatment sessions in a pressure chamber a noticeable improvement of hearing in his right-ear was noted (proved by pure tone audiometry) and subjective hearing upswing in his left ear. The bibliography includes the articles and references concerning the time limits of HBO therapy and its effectiveness in the treatment of sudden deafness

Determination of Potential Possibility of Organic Compounds Removal in a Sewer System

The sewerage is an often skipped element of the wastewater treatment system. Because of its high retention capacity and relatively long flow time, it has to be considered that processes affecting wastewater composition and their vulnerability to biological treatment may occur in the sewerage. Changing hydraulic conditions in collectors and numerous side influents providing new portions of wastewater diversified in quantity and quality cause difficulties in a precise description of biochemical transformations occuring during wastewater flow in gravity sewers. The authors conducted research on changes in organic compounds (expressed as total COD) and their dissolved form (soluble COD) in wastewater, during their flow through the laboratory model of a gravity collector. The model is constructed as a cascade of five basins made from acrylic glass, 1.12 L each. Wastewater flowed through the model continuously with the rate of 0.5 L/h. It allowed to achieve the flow time of 11 hours, which is 2-3 times longer than flow times occuring in a typical large sewer network and enabled to take samples in the collector profile. Reaeration process, pH and temperature, as well as the psychro and mezophilic bacteria were also taken into account in the analysis. The results of two research series were presented in the article, i.e. where wastewater flowed continuously through the model for 17 and 33 days, respectively. It was proven that during flow in a collector, a number of processes takes place, including sedimentation, washing out of solid contaminations, removal of dissolved organic compounds and enzymatic hydrolysis of slowly biodegradable organic matter. Biomass growth in bulk wastewater and on the model wall proved that biological processes occur there. There are significant differences between research series, mainly caused by the temperature. It was observed that the amount of biofilm was rather small and did not exceed 5% of total biomass. Removal of total COD was in the range of 28.8-80.3 mg O2/(L h) and soluble COD from 8.5 to 11.5 mg O2/(L h). In the last part of the model, the rate od COD removal decreased due to the lack of substrate, which is in accordance with data given by other researchers

Effect of surface wettability of wood-polymer composites on biofilm formation in wastewater treatment processes

Materiały kompozytowe mogą być z powodzeniem stosowane jako wypełnienie/nośnik w technologii oczyszczania ścieków z zastosowaniem złoża zawieszonego MBBR (ang. moving bed biofilm reactor). Właściwościami decydującymi o możliwości ich wykorzystania w procesach oczyszczania ścieków są chropowatość i stopień zwilżalności powierzchni, mające bezpośredni wpływ na stopień absorpcji i agregacji na niej mikroorganizmów, co jest związane z właściwościami hydrofilowymi lub hydrofobowymi materiału. Zbadano podatność powierzchni kształtek wykonanych z kompozytów polimerowo-drzewnych (WPC) na tworzenie biofilmu w procesie oczyszczania ścieków. Stwierdzono bezpośredni wpływ składu WPC i czasu jego przebywania w bioreaktorze na wartość kąta zwilżania. Wielkość zmiany wartości kąta zwilżania charakteryzuje zdolność materiałów polimerowo-drzewnych do tworzenia się na nich biofilmu.Composite materials, due to their properties, can be used as filling/carrier in the technology of wastewater treatment using a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR). The surface roughness and wettability, which are related to the material hydrophobic or hydrophilic properties and directly influence the degree of absorption and aggregation of microorganisms, are crucial from the point of view of application in the wastewater treatment processes. In this work, the susceptibility of the surface of specimens made from the wood-polymer composites (WPC) to biofilm formation in the wastewater treatment process was investigated. The study showed that the composition of WPC and its residence time in the bioreactor have a direct influence on the contact angle. The change in contact angle value determines the ability of biofilm formation on wood-polymer materials

Procalcitonin (PCT) Predicts Worse Outcome in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF)

Introduction. Procalcitonin (PCT) is an excellent marker of sepsis but was not extensively studied in cardiology. The present study investigated PCT plasma concentration in patients with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and its prognostic value during 24-month follow-up. Material and Methods. Study group consisted of 130 patients with HFrEF (LVEF ≤ 45%) and 32 controls. PCT level was assessed on admission in all patients. Telephone follow-up was performed every three months over a period of 2 years. Endpoints were death of all causes and readmission for HFrEF exacerbation. Results. HFrEF patients had significantly higher PCT concentration than controls (166.95 versus 22.15 pg/ml; p<0.001). Individuals with peripheral oedema had increased PCT comparing to those without oedema (217.07 versus 152.12 pg/ml; p<0.02). In ROC analysis, PCT turned out to be a valuable diagnostic marker of HFrEF (AUC 0.91; p<0.001). Kaplan-Meier survival curves revealed that patients with PCT in the 4th quartile had significantly lower probability of survival than those with PCT in the 1st and 2nd quartiles. In univariate, but not multivariate, analysis, procalcitonin turned out to be a significant predictor of death during 24-month follow-up. (HR 1.002; 95% CI 1.000–1.003; p<0.03). Conclusions. Elevated PCT concentration may serve as another predictor of worse outcome in patients with HFrEF

Abnormalities in the T and NK lymphocyte phenotype in patients with Nijmegen breakage syndrome

Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by spontaneous chromosomal instability with predisposition to immunodeficiency and cancer. In order to assess the cellular basis of the compromised immune response of NBS patients, the distribution of functionally distinct lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood was evaluated by means of double-colour flow cytometry. The study involved the 36 lymphopenic patients with a total lymphocyte count ≤1500 µl (group A) and seven patients (group B) having the absolute lymphocyte count comparable with the age-matched controls (≥3000 µl). Regardless of the total lymphocyte count the NBS patients showed: (1) profound deficiency of CD4(+) and CD3/CD8(+) T cell subsets and up to fourfold increase in natural killer (NK) cells, almost lack of naive CD4(+) T cells expressing CD45RA isoform, unchanged percentage of naive CD8(+) cell subset (CD8/CD45RA(+)) but bearing the CD8 receptor of low density (CD8(low)); (2) normal expression of CD45RA isoform in the CD56(+) lymphocyte subset, profound decrease in αβ but up to threefold increase in γδ-T cell-receptor (TCR)-positive T cells; (3) shift towards the memory phenotype in both CD4(+) and CD8(+) lymphocyte subpopulations expressing CD45RO isoform (over-expression of CD45RO in terms of both the fluorescence intensity for CD45RO isoform and the number of positive cells); and (4) an increase in fluorescence intensity for the CD45RA isoform in NK cells population. These results indicate either a failure in T cell regeneration in the thymic pathway (deficiency of naive CD4(+) cells) and/or more dominant contribution of non-thymic pathways in lymphocyte renewal reflected by an increase in the population of CD4(+) and CD8(+) memory cells, γδ-TCR positive T as well as NK cell subsets