Phenol utilisation by fungi isolated from activated sludge.

The paper presents the efficiency of phenol removal (concentrations from 500 to 2000 mg/l) by fungi isolated from activated sludge purifying wastewater with high phenol concentration. Five fungal strains were isolated and identified. All isolated strains appeared to be Moniliales from the class of Fungi Imperfecti (Candida sp.

Fibroblast-like synoviocytes from rheumatoid arthritis patients express functional IL-15 receptor complex: endogenous IL-15 in autocrine fashion enhances cell proliferation and expression of Bcl-x(L) and Bcl-2.

The hallmarks of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are leukocytic infiltration of the synovium and expansiveness of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). The abnormal proliferation of FLS and their resistance to apoptosis is mediated, at least in part, by present in RA joints proinflammatory cytokines and growth factors. Because IL-15 exerts properties of antiapoptotic and growth factors, and is produced by RA FLS, we hypothesized that IL-15 participates in RA FLS activation.