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Changes of maximum expiratory flow at 25% and 50% of vital capacity (MEF 25 and MEF 50 , respectively), and predominant parameters indicating small airways function in asthmatics before and after bronchodilator (BD) reversibility test have been less interpreted. Our study aimed to investigate the clinical role of changes of MEF 25 and MEF 50 before and after BD reversibility test in diagnosing asthma. Forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV 1 ), MEF 25 , and MEF 50 were measured before and after BD reversibility test in 207 asthmatic patients using standard process. Forty healthy individuals were enrolled as controls. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the diagnostic accuracy of reversibility of MEF 25 and MEF 50 before and after BD reversibility test (ΔMEF 25 % and ΔMEF 50 %, respectively) in diagnosing asthma. Among these functional criteria, ΔMEF 25 % and ΔMEF 50 % ≥ 25% performed the best diagnostic performance. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of ΔMEF 25 % ≥ 25% as an objective diagnostic test for asthma were 63.29%, 87.50%, and 67.21%, and of ΔMEF 50 % ≥ 25% were 79.23%, 85.00%, and 80.16%, respectively. The area under the ROC curve of the indicators was 0.8203 and 0.9104, respectively. By contrast, an increase in FEV 1 ≥ 12% and 200 mL demonstrated a sensitivity of 62.32%, specificity of 82.50%, and accuracy of 65.59% in diagnosing asthma. The changes of MEF 25 and MEF 50 before and after BD reversibility test may be of additional value in the clinical diagnosis of asthma, with cutoff values of 25% being the most.

Positive bronchodilation (BD) tests can be noticed in some stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. The characteristics of airway inflammation in this entity remain unclear. Our study aimed to identify the characteristics of airway inflammation in stable COPD patients with positive BD tests. The airway inflammation was assessed in 88 patients with stable COPD using the examination of induced sputum in the aftermath of lung function and BD tests. Cellular counts and the levels of molecular markers including eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), myeloperoxidase (MPO), interleukin-5 (IL-5), and IL-8 were assayed by Wright's stain, Immuno-CAP system, and ELISA, RT-PCR. Among the 88 patients with stable COPD, 20 (22.7%) showed positive BD tests. The values of eosinophils (4.7%±3.4%) and ECP (90.1±41.6 ng/mL) in induced sputum in stable COPD patients with positive BD tests were markedly elevated as compared with those in stable COPD patients with negative BD tests or in healthy controls (all P>0.05), but significantly lower than those in asthmatic patients (all P<0.01). The IL-5 in sputum supernatant was significantly decreased in stable COPD patients with positive BD tests as compared with the patients with asthma (12.5±7.8 vs. 48.2±26.0 ng/mL;.P<0.01). However, healthy controls exhibited similar concentrations of IL-5 in induced sputum with patients with stable COPD, whether with positive or negative BD tests (all P>0.05). Moreover, the values of neutrophils (61.8%±15.1%), MPO (574.0±111.8 ng/mL), and IL-8 (32.6±13.4 ng/mL) in induced sputum in stable COPD patients with positive BD tests were significantly higher than those in asthmatics or normal controls (all P<0.01). However, the values of the above inflammatory markers in induced sputum were similar among stable COPD patients with positive or negative BD tests (all P>0.05). The stable COPD patients with positive BD tests may present not only eosinophilic airway inflammation but also neutrophilic airway inflammation.

The sorption of 4-octylphenol (4-OP) by two freshwater algae was investigated. Results showed that the sorption of 4-octylphenol by algae was obvious and quick, where 20% of initial 4-OP (2 mg/L) was accumulated by Chlorella vulgaris (CV) and 46% initial 4-OP (2 mg/L) was accumulated by Anabaena cylindrical (AC) after 5 min incubation. The sorption got equilibrium at 1 h after incubation. Langmuir sorption model was good appropriate type for this sorption. The effect of pH value on CV sorption was obvious than that on AC sorption. The sorption capacity of the biomass of two algae increased with the decrease of pH value. The analyzing of interaction between algae and 4-octylphenol was performed by fluorescence spectrum. Results showed that the algae could weaker the fluorescence spectrum intensity of 4-octylphenol and result in red shift of the maximum absorbance wavelength of mixture solution. Based on the results, it was speculated that algae bound with the contamination could use the near UV region of solar radiation and induced the contamination degradation.

The photoreduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) by marine phytoplankton (diatoms, red and green algae), with or without the presence of transition metals (Fe(III), Cu(II) and Mn(II)) was studied. The direct influence of marine phytoplankton on the photochemical reduction of Cr(VI) was confirmed for the first time, and two kinds of mechanisms were suggested to be responsible for the species transformation: (a) Cr(VI) in excited state could be reduced by the electron donor in its ground state via photo produced electrons; and (b) the solvated electrons reduce the CrO(4)(2-) anions in their ground state. The conversion ratio of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) increased with increasing algae concentration and irradiation time. Different species of marine phytoplankton were found to have different photo-reducing abilities. The photochemical redox of transition metals could induce the species transformation of chromium. After photoreduction by marine phytoplankton and transition metals, the ratio of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) was in the range of 1.45-2.16 for five green algae (Tetraselmis levis, Chlorella autotrophica, Dunaliella salina, Nannochloropsis sp., and Tetraselmis subcordiformis), and only 0.48 for Phaeodactylum tricornutum (diatom) and 0.71 for Porphyridium purpureum (red alga). The species distribution of chromium in the sunlit surface seawater was greatly affected by combined effects of marine phytoplankton (main contributor) and transition metals; both synergistic and antagonistic effects were observed. The results provided further insights into the species distribution and the biogeochemical cycle of chromium, and have significant implications for the risk assessment of chromium in the sunlit surface seawater.

Cyclodextrins (CDs) can form a host/guest inclusion complex with bisphenol A(BPA). Under a 250 W metal halide lamp (lambda > or = 365 nm), the effects of different cyclodextrins to oxidation of endocrine disrupter BPA in the Fe(III)-hydroxyl complexes system were investigated. In the presence of alpha- cyclodextrin or beta-cyclodextrin (alpha-CD or beta-CD), the photodegradation efficiency of BPA can be enhanced, but gamma-cyclodextrin (gamma-CD) showed inhibitive effect on the photodegradation efficiency. The initial degradation rate of BPA firstly increased with increasing concentration of beta-CD and alpha-CD from 0 to 60 micromol L(-1), and the maximum rate was reached at the beta-CD concentration of 60 micromol L(-1), and then decreased. But the initial degradation rate of BPA decreased with increasing concentration of gamma-CD. Furthermore, the structures of BPA, CDs and BPA/CDs were optimized used the PM3 method in Gaussian98 software package. The results showed that BPA partly entered the cavity of CDs, which formed different super-molecular host-guest complexes, and resulted in the different photodegradation rates of BPA under UV-vis irradiation.

The photo-oxidation of Sb(III) to Sb(V) by marine microalgae (diatom, green and red algae) with or without the presence of transition metals (Fe(III), Cu(II) and Mn(II)). The influence of marine phytoplankton on the photochemistry of antimony was confirmed for the first time. The conversion ratio of Sb(III) to Sb(V) increased with increasing algae concentration and irradiation time. Different species of marine phytoplankton were found to have different photo-oxidizing abilities. The photochemical redox of transition metals could induce the species transformation of antimony. After photo-induced oxidation by marine phytoplankton and transition metals, the ratio of Sb(V) to Sb(III) was in the range of 1.07-5.48 for six algae (Tetraselmis levis, Chlorella autotrophica, Nannochloropsis sp., Tetraselmis subcordiformis, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, and Porphyridium purpureum), and only 0.92 for Dunaliella salina. The distribution of antimony in the sunlit surface seawater was greatly affected by combined effects of marine phytoplankton (main contributor) and transition metals; both synergistic and antagonistic effects were observed. The results provided further insights into the distribution of Sb(III) and Sb(V) and the biogeochemical cycle of antimony, and have significant implications for the risk assessment of antimony in the sunlit surface seawater.

The surface of nanometer size TiO(2) was simply and fast modified by chemical adsorption in saturated solution of 5-sulfosalicylic acid. After surface modification, a stable, yellow surface complex was formed quickly, the wavelength response range of TiO(2) was expanded, it has obvious absorption in the region from 320 to 450 nm; the adsorption efficiency of p-nitrophenol (PNP) by TiO(2) was enhanced from 42% to 84%. The photocatalytic activity was tested on the degradation of PNP. The influences of catalyst and its dosage, pH value, and PNP concentration on the degradation were investigated. On optimal photodegradation conditions, including initial pH 4.0, PNP 5 mg l(-1), catalyst 100 mg, irradiation time 120 min with 160 W high-pressure mercury lamp, the degradation efficiency of PNP was increased from 40% to 88% after surface modification. Surface modification led not only to an increase in the light utilization, but also improved the surface coverage of PNP in comparison with the pure TiO(2). Both of these factors are crucial for the photocatalytic activity of heterogeneous photocatalysis, especially for photodegradation of benzenoid pollutants.

Seven marine phytoplankton, including five green algae (Tetraselmis levis, Chlorella autotrophica, Dunaliella salina, Nannochloropsis sp. and Tetraselmis subcordiformis), one diatom (Phaeodactylum tricornutum), one red alga (Porphyridium purpureum), and three usual transitional metals (Fe(III), Cu(II), Mn(II)) were used to make up marine phytoplankton-light or transitional metals-light or marine phytoplankton-transitional metals-light system. In such system, Se(VI) could be transformed into Se(IV) by photoreduction. The species transformation of selenium could be photo-induced by redox reaction of transitional metals. The photochemical activity of marine phytoplankton was confirmed for the first time, because marine phytoplankton could adsorb and concentrated of selenium, transitional metals and organic substances (including the exudation of algae, as reducing agent) which redox potentials were changed. The ratios of Se(VI) to Se(IV) were dominated by the species, the concentration of marine phytoplankton and transitional metals, and it could be enhanced through increasing the concentration of marine algae or the combined effect from marine algae and transitional metals. After photoreduction by ternary system, the ratio of Se(VI) to Se(IV) ranges from 1.17 to 2.85, which is close to the actual value in euphotic layer of seawater. The photochemical process that is induced by marine algae and transitional metals dominative the leading effects on the distribution of oxidation states of selenium.

In view of octanol, a long-chain alkanol, resembled as the configuration of carbohydrate and adipose in human body, the octanol-solubility and water-solubility were used to define the species of iron in medicine, to identify the lipophily and bioavailability of coordinated iron complex, and octanol-water system was adopted to study the distribution of iron in decoction of eight single medicines and compatibility of semen persicae and flos carthami in stomach and intestine. To study the effect of compatibility of medicines, the different acidity of stomach and intestine on the species of iron in phytomedicine decoction, the total concentration, octanol- and water-solubility concentration of iron in medicinal materials or decoctions under gastric and intestinal acidity, were determined, respectively, by flame atomic absorption spectrometry, analyzed and compared. The different acidity of digestive site, the different composition of medicine, and the compatibility of medicines, have greatly affected the species of iron, the pharmacological activity of coordinated iron complex in decoctions. Such factors, especially the concentration of octanol-solubility iron, could be the basis of the dosage to avoid iron overload.

The photodegradation of 17alpha-ethynylestradiol (EE2) in aqueous solutions induced by UV-light was preliminarily studied in this paper by means of fluorescence, UV and infrared spectra. The result suggested that EE2 in aqueous solutions underwent photodegradation under irradiation with UV disinfection lamp (lambda = 254 nm, 30 W), but the photodegradation was not observed under high pressure mercury lamp (lambda > or = 365 nm, 250 W). The photodegradation of 1.6-20.0 mg/l EE2 in aqueous solutions at a given initial pH value of 6.8 was pseudo-first order reaction. Increasing the initial concentration of EE2 lowered the photodegradation rate. The photodegradation rate of EE2 reached the lowest value at pH about 5.0, higher pH values of 6.0-8.0 benefited the photodegradation. Ferric ions can promote the photodegradation of EE2 in aqueous solutions at pH value of 2.0-5.0., (Copyright 2003 Elsevier Science B.V.)

The photodegradation of 17alpha-ethynylestradiol (EE(2)) induced by high-pressure mercury lamp (lambda> or =313, 250 W) in aqueous solution of EE(2) was investigated initially. The affecting factors on the photodegradation were studied and described in details, such as EE(2) initial concentration, Fe(3+), algae, exposure time, and so on. The concentration of EE(2) in distilled water was mainly determined using fluorescence spectrophotometer. The photodegradation of EE(2) in aqueous solution exposed to high-pressure mercury lamp was evident and could be accelerated by Fe(3+) or algae (e.g. Anabaena cylindrica) in general. With the algae concentration increasing, photodegradation rate increased. In this paper, the mechanism of photocatalytic degradation of EE(2) by Fe(3+) or algae is discussed primarily.

This experimental study was conducted to investigate the effect of treatment of landfill leachate by a coagulation-photooxidation process. The effects of different dosages of coagulant and different pH values on the coagulation processes were compared. The effect of different concentrations of sodium oxalate (Na(2)C(2)O(4)) on the treatment process was also studied after the coagulation was performed using FeCl(3).6H(2)O. The experimental results show that in the pH range of 3-8, the lower the pH value, the higher the efficiency of the treatment. A 24% removal of COD (chemical oxygen demand, mg(O(2)) x l(-1)) can be attained by the addition of 1000 mg x l(-1) FeCl(3). A 31% removal of COD can be attained after 4h of irradiation alone, and a 64% removal of COD can be attained after 4h irradiation at pH 3 with the addition of 500 mg x l(-1) FeCl(3).6H(2)O.