Abstract Two kinds of bacteria, named TDJ-7 and TDJ-9, were isolated from the soil, which could degrade terbutylazine effectively. TDJ-7 and TDJ-9 were identified as Bacillus pumilus and Bacillus subtilis. The degradation efficiency of 10mg/L of terbutylazine by TDJ-7 could reach 95% within 6 days, and the strain TDJ-9 could reach 98% under the same conditions. Both strain TDJ-7 and strain TDJ-7 could also effectively degrade simazine, metribuzin, atrazine and ametryn. In addition, strain TDJ-7 and TDJ-9 had been successfully developed into a live bacterial agent that could be used to degrade terbutylazine residue. These results suggest that strain TDJ-7 and TDJ-9 can be used for the bioremediation of terbutylazine or other s-triazine herbicides contamination.

Abstract Background: Interferon (IFN)-λ1, also named Interleukin (IL)-29, is a new member of the Type III IFN or IFN-λ family. IL-29 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many types of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Objective: To study the role of IL-29 in the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris. Methods: The authors detected the serum levels of IL-29 in forty-one patients with psoriasis vulgaris, twenty-three patients with atopic dermatitis and thirty-eight age and gender-matched controls by sandwich Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The effects of IL-29 on the expression of cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-17, IL-8, IL-4, IL10, Interferon (IFN-γ) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α), in PBMCs and HaCat cells were determined by real-time quantitative PCR. Results: Our data indicated that serum IL-29 levels were significantly elevated in patients with psoriasis vulgaris when compared with atopic dermatitis patients and the control group. Moreover, Serum levels of IL-29 were closely associated with the severity of psoriasis vulgaris. Furthermore, IL-29 up-regulated the mRNA expression levels of IL-6, IL-17 and TNF-α in PBMCs from psoriasis vulgaris patients. In addition, IL-29 enhanced the IL-6 and IL-8 expression from the HaCat cells. Conclusion: This study provides the first observations on the association of IL-29 and psoriasis vulgaris and showed elevated IL-29 serum levels. The authors suggest that IL-29 may play a role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris.

Abstract Simazine was one of the most commonly used herbicides and was widely used to control broadleaf weeds in agriculture and forestry. Its widespread use had caused wide public concern for its high ecological toxicity. In order to remove simazine residues, 2 strains capable of effectively degrading simazine were isolated from the soil and named SIMA-N5 and SIMA-N9. SIMA-N5 was identified as Bacillus licheniformis by 16SrRNA sequence analysis, and SIMA-N9 was Bacillus altitudinis. According to the degradation ratio of simazine in a certain period of time, the degradation ability of different strains was evaluated. The degradation efficiency of simazine (5 mg/L) by SIMA-N9 could reach about 98% in 5d, and the strain SIMA-N5 could reach 94% under the same conditions. In addition, the addition of Pennisetum rhizosphere soil during the process of degrading simazine by strain SIMA-N9 could effectively improve the degradation efficiency. The strain SIMA-N9 has been developed as a microbial agent for the bioremediation of simazine contamination in soil. The new microbial agent developed by using SIMA-N9 has achieved satisfactory application effects. Based on the research results already obtained in this study, it was considered that strain SIMA-N9 and its live bacterial agent could play an important role in bioremediation of simazine pollution. This study could not only provide a set of solutions to the simazine pollution, but also provide a reference for the treatment of other pesticide pollution.

RESUMO OBJETIVO Este estudo tem como objetivo investigar as causas do diagnóstico equivocado na avaliação da patência tubária por meio da ultrassonografia de contraste histerosalpingo em tempo real transvaginal (TVS RT-3D-HyCoSy), a fim de melhorar a eficiência diagnóstica das TVS RT-3D-HyCoSy. MÉTODOS Um total de 162 ovidutos em 83 pacientes da infertilidade foi examinado por TVS RT-3D-HyCoSy. Esses resultados foram comparados com o padrão ouro para estudos de tintura laparoscópica, e os casos diagnosticados erroneamente foram analisados. RESULTADOS TVS RT-3D-HyCoSy revelaram que 68 ovidutos foram desobstruídos e 94 ovidutos foram obstruídos. Os resultados para os 144 ovidutos estavam em consonância com o padrão ouro, enquanto que aqueles para os 18 ovidutos, não. A taxa de acurácia do TVS RT-3D-HyCoSy foi de 88,9%, e a taxa de erro de diagnóstico foi de 11,1%. As principais causas de erro de diagnóstico incluíram contraponto e difusão do meio de contraste, espasmo do oviduto, forma ou posição anormal do oviduto, adesão pélvica e má operação de imagem. CONCLUSÃO TVS RT-3D-HyCoSy pode bem avaliar a patência tubária, e compreender e melhorar a causa do erro de diagnóstico. Além disso, a eficiência diagnóstica do TVS RT-3D-HyCoSy ainda pode ser melhorada.

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the causes of misdiagnosis in assessing tubal patency by transvaginal real-time three-dimensional hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography (TVS RT-3D-HyCoSy), in order to improve the diagnostic efficiency of TVS RT-3D-HyCoSy. METHODS A total of 162 oviducts of 83 infertility patients were examined by TVS RT-3D-HyCoSy. These results were compared with the gold standard for laparoscopic dye studies, and the misdiagnosed cases were analyzed. RESULTS TVS RT-3D-HyCoSy revealed that 68 oviducts were unobstructed and 94 obstructed. The results for the 144 oviducts were in line with the gold standard, while those for 18 oviducts were not. The accuracy rate of the TVS RT-3D-HyCoSy was 88.9%, and the misdiagnosis rate was 11.1%. The main causes of misdiagnosis included contrast medium countercurrent and diffusion, oviduct spasm, abnormal shape or position of the oviduct, pelvic adhesion, and poor imaging operation. CONCLUSION TVS RT-3D-HyCoSy can well-evaluate tubal patency, and understand and improve the cause of misdiagnosis. Furthermore, the diagnostic efficiency of TVS RT-3D-HyCoSy can still be further improved.

In this paper, we reported the preparation of carrageenan/reduced graphene oxide/Ag composite (CA-RGO-Ag) by a wet chemical method at room temperature using carrageenan, graphene oxide and silver nitrate as starting materials. As-prepared composite was characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR, SEM, EDX and XRD. Results showed that the reduction of graphene oxide (GO) and silver nitrate was achieved simultaneously by addition of NaBH4. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering study showed that the obtained composite give an intensive and enhanced Raman scattering when Rhodamine B was used as a probing molecule.

ABSTRACT ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized via a green biochemical method using Corymbia citriodora leaf extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The biosynthesized ZnO NPs were characterized by SEM and XRD. An electrochemical H2O2 biosensor was fabricated by modification of a glassy carbon electrode using our proposed ZnO NPs. The electrochemical sensor showed excellent detection performance towards trace amounts of H2O2, demonstrating that it could potentially be used in clinical applications.