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The United States Supreme Court declared in 1976 that deliberate indifference to the serious medical needs of prisoners constitutes the unnecessary and wanton infliction of pain…proscribed by the Eighth Amendment. It matters not whether the indifference is manifested by prison doctors in their response to the prisoner’s needs or by prison guards intentionally denying or delaying access to medical care or intentionally interfering with treatment once prescribed—adequate prisoner medical care is required by the United States Constitution. My incarceration for four years at the Oakdale Satellite Prison Camp, a chronic health care level camp, gives me the perspective to challenge the generally promoted claim of the Bureau of Federal Prisons that it provides decent medical care by competent and caring medical practitioners to chronically unhealthy elderly prisoners. The same observation, to a slightly lesser extent, could be made with respect to deficiencies in the delivery of health care to prisoners of all ages, as it is all significantly deficient in access, competencies, courtesies and treatments extended by prison health care providers at every level of care, without regard to age. However, the frailer the prisoner, the more dangerous these health care deficiencies are to his health and, therefore, I believe, warrant separate attention. This paper uses first-hand experiences of elderly prisoners to dismantle the tale that prisoner healthcare meets constitutional standards.

Permanganate is a versatile chemical oxidant, and has undergone a dramatic evolution toward deep insight into its reaction mechanism. However, the hydrogen abstraction of the N H bond by permanganate remains unclear. We studied the permanganate oxidation of the emerging micropollutant sulfamethoxazole in acidic aqueous solution. The reaction followed autocatalytic kinetics and demonstrated first-order with respect to each reactant. The presence of HMnO4 accelerated the reaction rate, which was four orders of magnitude higher than that of MnO4−. Based on the identified products, the rate-limiting step was determined to be simple N H bond oxidation by metal-oxo species permanganate. The mechanism was then studied computationally by density functional theory (DFT) using ammonia as the simplest model. Results showed that the N H bond oxidation by MnO4− (32.86 kcal/mol) was a concerted mechanism similar to that of C H bond oxidation, whereas HMnO4 oxidation of the N H bond (10.44 kcal/mol) was a stepwise electron-proton transfer. This reminds us that coordination of Bronsted acid could not only produce the stronger electrophile but also change the reaction mode by avoiding the bond cleavage in electron transfer process.

Pre-deposition technology is a promising method for alleviating membrane fouling, and in situ hydrolytic flocs have strong adsorption ability. In comparison with iron salts, less corrosiveness is induced by aluminum salts. Here, flocs formed by aluminum salts were pre-deposited onto the surface of an ultrafiltration (UF) membrane, aimed at investigating the antifouling performance with humic acid (HA) or bovine serum albumin (BSA). The results showed that Al-based flocs were well distributed onto the membrane surface, and a relatively dense and homogeneous deposition layer was formed. Both HA and BSA could largely be adsorbed/rejected by the pre-deposited layer during filtration. In comparison to results for solution pH of 8.0, the floc layer was much denser with a larger surface specific area and smaller average pore diameter at pH 6.0. Due to the existence of Al13 species, a more positively charged floc layer occurred at lower pH values, leading to stronger adsorption abilities toward the negatively charged HA and BSA molecules. The floc layer significantly reduced the possibility of HA and BSA molecules reaching the UF membrane, which helped alleviate membrane fouling under lower pH conditions. Furthermore, the results for effluent with pH between 6.0 and 8.0 showed that the removal efficiency of HA molecules with small molecular weight (

Antimony (Sb) is harmful to human health, and Sb(V) is much more difficult to remove from water than other toxic elements such as arsenic (As). Theoretical studies have suggested that in situ flocs have stronger adsorption ability toward heavy metals than pre-made adsorbents. We believe that rational design of in situ flocs and the associated device structure will enable a floc-based device to be utilized in the removal of heavy metals. Based on this concept, we developed an integrated process taking advantage of the strong adsorption abilities of in-situ Al or Fe hydrolytic flocs and excellent separation properties of ultrafiltration (UF) membranes. We found that flocs could be well dispersed in a membrane tank with aeration from the bottom, and Fe-based flocs performed better in removing Sb(V) and alleviating membrane fouling than Al-based flocs. We also demonstrated that higher Sb(V) removal efficiency was induced with continuous injection, and lower solution pH. By controlling the aeration rate, injection frequency and the solution pH, membrane fouling was alleviated, especially under weakly acidic conditions. Additionally, owing to the higher rejection efficiency of the UF membrane, the effluent quality was improved, including the iron concentration, turbidity, and chromaticity. This innovative separation method shows promising potential for application in removing heavy metals in water treatment.

Keggin Al13[(AlO4Al12(OH)24(H2O)12]7+ is a well-known efficient coagulant widely used in water purification and treatment. The production of high-content Al13 is still costly, and it is therefore essential to develop new eco-efficient and low energy demand synthesis methods for practical application. Solid–water interfaces play a dominant role in heterogeneous reactions, which can be utilized in various processes through rationally designed interfaces. Here, we designed an Al3+ and OH– interface by using NaOH-doped ice as a solid and AlCl3 solution as liquid for Al13 production. This system provides a natural and renewable solid–water interface through ice melting, while simultaneously minimizing external energy input and maintaining an effective heterogeneous interface reaction for production of high-quality Al13 species. The dual-function of ice/water interface enables the formation of Al13 with a high yield of up to 90% compared to initial total Al. Moreover, global areas with cold winter climate condi...

Permanganate has attracted much attention in wide range of chemistry and particularly in degradation of environmental pollutants. However, few studies have discussed the feature of regioselective reactivity of permanganate with specific moiety of the target compound. Herein, we studied the reaction between permanganate and tetracycline that is an emerging micropollutant with different species containing several electron-rich groups. The second-order rate constants increased from 6.0 to 9.0 and could be quantitatively modeled by considering the speciation of both reactants, yielding kTC0 = 11.7 (mol/L)−1 sec−1, kTC− = 35.7 (mol/L)−1 sec−1, kTC2− = 43.1 (mol/L)−1 sec−1 for individual reaction channels. Degradation products were then identified as the hydroxylated and demethylated compounds. The result suggested a rate-limiting step of simple hydroxylation at the phenolic and/or alkene moieties, while the demethylation should be caused by the unavoidably formed manganese oxide via single electron oxidation. This is supported by the DFT calculation, indicating the primary oxidation of phenolic group of TC0 with activation barrier of 44.5 kcal/mol and of alkene group of TC− and TC2− with activation barriers of 44.0 and 43.4 kcal/mol, respectively. This is in agreement with the experimental results, implying the alternation of regioselectivity associated with the deprotonation process. The result was further supported by performing the Fukui function and electrostatic potential analysis, reflecting the more probable site and better electron donating tendency beneficial to the permanganate oxidation.

The aromatic organoarsenic compounds including p-arsanilic acid (p-ASA) and roxarsone (ROX) used as feed additives in the poultry appear to be excreted with no chemical structural change, tending to environmental release of inorganic arsenic. Thus, effective removal and understanding the mechanism of organoarsenic compounds are of significant urgency. We herein investigated the interactions of organoarsenic compounds with ferric and manganese binary oxide (FMBO) to investigate their adsorption efficiency and mechanism, whereas ferric oxide (FeOOH), and manganese oxide (MnO 2 ) were also studied for the comparison. The maximum adsorption capacities ( Q max ) of FMBO towards p-ASA and ROX were determined to be 0.52 and 0.25 mmol g −1 (pH = 7.5). FeOOH and MnO 2 showed lower adsorption capability, the corresponsive Q max, p-ASA were 0.40 and 0.33 mmol g −1 and Q max, ROX were 0.08 and 0.07 mmol g −1 , respectively. The elevated pH inhibited the adsorption onto the adsorbents owing to the increased repulsive forces; the Q max, p-ASA and Q max, ROX onto FMBO increased to 0.79 and 0.51 mmol g −1 at pH 4.0. Based on results of UV–vis spectra, UPLC-ICP-MS, FTIR, and XPS, the synergistic effect of heterogeneous oxidation and adsorption was the core for efficient aqueous removal of p-ASA by FMBO. Manganese oxide showed significant oxidation of p-ASA, while adsorption process was observed in ferric oxide and this effect also involves in the adsorption of ROX. Results herein extended the knowledgebase on organoarsenic species adsorption to Fe/Mn oxides, are important for potential engineering treatment application and help us to understand reactions at the interfacial level.

The current understanding of the particle-water interface relies primarily on the use of electric double layer theory (EDL theory), in which the concentration distribution of ions with distance can be evaluated. However, although EDL theory provides a theoretical and mathematical basis, obtaining direct experimental results is also necessary. In this study, an instrument system set with a designed H

Nanoscale zerovalent iron (NZVI) was layered onto ultrafiltration (UF) membrane surface and tested for antifouling properties using humic acid (HA). Scanning electron microscopy showed that a relatively homogeneous layer was formed across the membrane surface by NZVI particles. Strong adhesion was observed between NZVI and UF membrane used. HA was significantly removed and membrane flux was increased in the presence of NZVI layer. Increased loadings of NZVI onto the membrane surface increased resistance to fouling while slightly reducing the clean water permeability of the membrane. However, the pore size of the layer formed by pristine NZVI was large, resulting in more chances of HA molecules getting to the membrane surface even blocking the membrane pores at the beginning. Membrane loaded with NZVI layer performed much better under acidic conditions. During NZVI synthesis, specific surface area of NZVI particle increased with increasing the ratio of ethanol (Vethanol/Vsolution), which also gradually decreased the average pore size of NZVI layer. As a result, the corresponding membrane flux steadily increased. Additionally, the results for permeate samples under different conditions showed that large molecular weight (MW, >30 kDa) and medium MW HA molecules (3–30 kDa) were removed much faster than those of small MW HA molecules (

Citric acid, a widespread soil rhizosphere plant/microbe carboxylic acid exudate can easily form chelates with heavy metals, increasing their availability in the environment. When Cu(II) from algal control in water bodies or reservoirs and fungicides, such as the Bordeaux mixture, and citrate interact, solubilizadon through chelation is a possible outcome. Manganese (hydr)oxides represent a significant portion of the subsurface environment and can affect the fate and transport of chemical species through adsorption and oxidation. This study explores the possible interaction between MnO2 and Cu-Citrate under ambient oxic conditions. The calculated Mn(II) dissolution rates during the initial 1 h of reaction followed the series Cu(II) > Cu-Citrate 1:0.5 > Cu-Citrate 1:1(oxic) > Citrate > Cu-Citrate 1:1(Anoxic), reinforcing the central role of (complexed or un-complexed) Cu(II) during the initial surface-coordination instead of following the s-shaped auto-catalytic curves of Mn(II) dissolution in citrate solution. The use of capillary electrophoresis allowed the detection of an intermediate Cu(II)Acetonedicarboxylate complex and the oxidation products acetonedicarboxylate, acetoacetate, acetone and acetic acid. The mass balance analysis of Cu-Citrate 1:1 suggests the partial adsorption of Cu-Citrate(ads) and catalytic degradation of acetonedicarboxylate through a MnO2-Cu surface sorbed complex. Lastly, XPS analysis confirmed the MnO2 surface Cu(II) reduction along with an outer-hydration layer at the MnO2 interface, where electron transfer and aquo ligand exchange may lead to the oxidation of Cu-Citrate. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The integration of adsorbents with ultrafiltration (UF) membranes is a promising method for alleviating membrane fouling and reducing land use. However, a number of problems have become apparent concerning the granular adsorbents used currently, such as high running cost, high chance of causing membrane surface damage, low in situ chemical cleaning efficiency, etc. Herein, to overcome these disadvantages, loose in situ hydrolyzed flocs were directly injected into the membrane tank, providing strong adsorption ability at low cost. To test the feasibility of this method, the heavy metal pollutant antimony (Sb (V)) in a water plant was chosen at a test case, which is similar to arsenic and difficult to remove. We found that Fe-based flocs integrated with an UF membrane showed a large potential advantage in removing Sb(V), even after running for 110 days. We demonstrated that the observed slow transmembrane pressure development could be ascribed to the loose floc cake layer formed, even though some extracellular polymeric substances were induced during operation. We also found that the floc cake layer was easily removed by washing with feed water or dissolved by in situ chemical cleaning under strongly acidic conditions, and many primary membrane pores were clearly observed. In addition, a relative long sludge discharge interval was feasible for this technology and the effluent quality was good, including the turbidity, chromaticity and iron concentration. Based on the excellent performance, these flocs integrated with UF membranes indeed show potential for application in water treatment.

Freshly formed metal oxide suspensions usually have high reactivity and are easy to achieve in-situ preparation and dosing in water treatment. In this study, a freshly formed Fe-Mn binary oxide (FMBO) suspension was prepared for phosphate removal using simultaneous oxidation and coprecipitation method. FMBO was characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD and zeta potential and compared with the mixture of ferric oxide and manganese oxides (FMMO), hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) and hydrous manganese oxide (HMO). Results indicated that ferric oxide was relatively enriched on the surface of nanostructured binary oxide, resulting in its pH(ZPC) and XRD pattern close to HFO. At pH 3-10, phosphate removals followed trend: FMBO g FMMO g HFO g HMO. The pseudo-second-order kinetics model provided a better fit for phosphate adsorption onto FMBO, indicating that chemisorption may play a dominant role. The maximum adsorption capacity estimated from the Langmuir equation was 0.223 mol-P/mol-Fe at pH 5.0. The competition effects of coexisting substances such as sulfate, bicarbonate, silicate and DOC on phosphate adsorption using FMBO were not significant. Phosphate adsorption onto FMBO could be attributed to electrostatic interaction and replacement of surface hydroxyl groups via formation of monodentate and bidentate complexes. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antimony (Sb), which can be toxic at relatively low concentrations, may co-exist with Mn(II) and/or Fe(II) in some groundwater and surface water bodies. Here we investigated the potential oxidation and adsorption pathways of Sb (III and V) species in the presence of Mn(II) and Mn-oxidizing bacteria, with or without Fe(II). Batch experiments were conducted to determine the oxidation and adsorption characteristics of Sb species in the presence of biogenic Mn oxides (BMOs), which were formed in-situ via the oxidation of Mn(II) by a Mn-oxidizing bacterium (Pseudomonas sp. QJX-1). Results indicated that Sb(III) ions could be oxidized to Sb(V) ions by BMO, but only Sb(V) originating from Sb(III) oxidation was adsorbed effectively by BMO. Introduced Fe(II) was chemically oxidized to FeOOH, the precipitates of which mixed with BMO to form a new compound, biogenic Fe-Mn oxides (BFMO). The BMO part of the BFMO mainly oxidized and the FeOOH of the BFMO mainly adsorbed the Sb species. In aquatic solutions containing both As(III) and Sb(III), the BFMO that formed in-situ preferentially oxidized Sb over As but adsorbed As more efficiently. Chemical analysis and reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that the presence of Fe(II), As(III) and Sb(III) accelerated the oxidation of Mn(II) but inhibited the activity of Mn-oxidizing bacteria. These results provide significant insights into the biogeochemical pathways of Sb, Mn(II) in aquatic ecosystems, with or without Fe(II).

Anthraquinone-2,7-disulfonate (2,7-AQDS), anthraquinone-1-sulfonate (α-AQS), anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQS), anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) and anthraquinone-1,5-disulfonate (1,5-AQDS) were selected as redox mediators for Cr(VI) reduction by Escherichia coli BL21. In the presence of 0.8mmoll(-1) AQS, the Cr(VI) reduction efficiency was 98.5% in 7.5h, whereas it was only 21-34% in the absence of a mediator or in the presence of α-AQS, 1,5-AQDS, AQDS, 2,7-AQDS. A linear correlation, k=0.768C(AQS)+1.5531 (R(2)=0.9935), was found for the reaction constant, k (mg Cr(VI) g(-1) dry cell weight h(-1)) and the AQS concentration (C(AQS)). The Arrhenius equation described the Cr(VI) reduction in the tested temperature range, and the pre-exponential factor A was 13.249mg Cr(VI) g(-1) dry cell weight h(-1),and the activation energy Ea was 28.01kJmol(-1). Glucose was the best carbon sources, and the optimum pH was 6.0. The Cr(VI) reduction rate obtained with AQS is a significant improvement over low conventional anaerobic reduction rates.

Control of chemical oxygen demand (CODMn) and disinfection by-products (DBPs) formation is a major challenge for drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs), especially for those that use source water with high levels of natural organic matter (NOM) and bromide ions (Br-). This study focused on the Luwen DWTP with conventional treatment processes, and used bench- and plant-scale tests to optimize chlorine-based disinfection for the control of total trihalomethane (TTHMs) and CODMn. In cases of pre-chlorination at 1.3 mg/L, the post-chlorination at 1, 2, 3, and 4 mg/L of chlorine contributed to high TTHMs values of 0.94, 1.65, 2.07, and 2.21, respectively. At the same doses of total chlorine, the two-point chlorination formed less THMs than the one-point dosing strategy, although it was achieved at the expense of lowered CODMn removal efficiency. The combined use of chlorine and monochloramine greatly decreased THMs formation, and a more significant decrease of TTHMs was observed at shortened time intervals between dosing chlorine and ammonia. The post addition of ammonia in the Cl-2-NH2Cl process also impacted the incorporation of Br- into THMs and increased the ratios of brominated THMs (Br-THMs) to THMs by ceasing chlorine activity. The field study compared the levels of TTHMs, CODMn, ammonia, and residual chlorine in the treatment chain and the distribution systems among three disinfection scenarios of Cl-2, NH2Cl, and Cl-2 + Cl-2 + NH2Cl. The Cl-2 + Cl-2 + NH2Cl process was better than the other two processes for the simultaneous control of THMs formation and CODMn. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An electrochemically prepared water treatment reagent containing a high concentration of Al(13) polymer and active chlorine (PACC) showed promising potential for the removal of As(III) due to the combined function of oxidation and coagulation. The results indicated that PACC was effective for As(III) removal through oxidation by the active chlorine and subsequent removal of As(V) by coagulation with the Al(13) polymer. The As(III) was oxidized to As(V) by active chlorine in PACC, with a stoichiometric rate of 0.99 mg Cl(2)/mg As(III). The Al(13) polymer was the most active Al species responsible for As(V) removal in PACC. To meet As drinking water standards the stoichiometric weight ratio of Cl(2)/Al within PACC was 0.09 for the treatment of As(III). Considering the process of As(III) oxidation and As(V) coagulation together, the optimal pH conditions for the removal of As by PACC was within the neutral range, which facilitated the reaction of As(III) with active chlorine and favored the formation of Al hydroxide flocs. The presence of humic acid reduced the As(III) removal efficiency of PACC due to its negative influence on subsequent As(V) coagulation, and disinfection byproduct yields were very low in the presence of insufficient or stoichiometric active chlorine.

Structure activity relationships were elucidated by applying chemical structure, electrochemistry and quantum chemical calculations for non-dissolved redox mediators (RM, quinones) with similar chemical structure. The decolorization efficiencies of acid red B by a Halomonas sp. GYW were enhanced 2.68, 2.58, 1.91 and 1.49 times with 1,5-dichloroanthraquinone, 1,8-dichloroanthraquinone, anthraquinone, and 1,4,5,8-tetrachloroanthraquinone, respectively. The order of oxidation reduction potential (ORP) during the decolorization process with four redox mediators agreed with their order of reduction potential (Ea) from cyclic voltammetry. The decolorization rate (k) with four redox mediators has a linear relation with their Ea values (k=269.05Ea+85.782, R(2)=0.9226). The calculated ρ(r(c)) at the Ring Critical Point (RCP) based on Atoms in Molecules (AIM) and the inductive/resonance effects of the four redox mediators were also consistent with the accelerating effects on the decolorization. These established relationships might to be predictive models and mechanistic explanations for the accelerating decolorization with redox mediator.

Electropolymerization biocarriers were prepared by the electropolymerization of polypyrrole (PPy) on an active carbon felt (ACF) electrode using doping anions anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQS) or Na2SO4. The functional electropolymerization biocarrier (ACF/PPy/AQS) with AQS was used as an immobilized redox mediator for the denitrification process. The characteristics of the electropolymerization biocarriers were analyzed by scanning electron microscope, elemental analyses, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The results suggested that the denitrification efficiency increased nearly 1.5-fold with ACF/PPy/AQS (0.04 mmol L-1 AQS) compared to the control. A linear correlation was found for the k value and the AQS concentration (C-AQS), which was k = 624.71C(AQS) + 83.87 (R-2=0.9893). The ORP value stabilized around -200 mV for the denitrification process with ACF/PPy/AQS, which was -25 mV lower than that with ACF/PPy/Na2SO4. Repeated-batch operations indicated that the denitrification efficiency with ACF/PPy/AQS maintained over 90% of the original value and exhibited better catalytic activity and durability. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Although pre-chlorination has been widely applied to enhance the removal of algae, the mechanisms involved in the process have not been well illustrated. This study used Microcystis aeruginosa to investigate the effects of chlorination on the algae cells (i.e., surface charge, cell integrity, and release of intracellular organic matter (IOM)), and the subsequent influence on algae removal by alum coagulation. Though intracellular K+ and IOM released after the exposure of M. aeruginosa to chlorine, no considerable change in the morphology was observed for the majority of algae cells. This indicated the significance of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the removal of algae, which consisted of released IOM and natural organic matter (NOM). Chlorine dose had a substantial impact on the concentration and characteristics of DOM, and accordingly on the optimum dosage range of alum for effective coagulation of algae cells. High molecular weight (MW) DOM aided the coagulation by favoring the formation of larger flocs and decreased the optimum alum doses to achieve the maximum removal of DOM. Released IOM also had high ratios of protein/IOM to form protein-alum complexes, which increased coagulant demand and inhibited the cross linking and clustering of alum-hydroxide polymers to disturb coagulation. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The accelerating effect of non-dissolved redox mediator (1,5-dichloroanthraquinone) on the biological denitrification was investigated in this paper using 1,5-dichloroanthraquinone immobilized by calcium alginate (CA) and a heterotrophic denitrification bacterium of Paracoccus versutus (GU111570). The results suggested that the denitrification rate was enhanced 2.1 fold by 25 mmol l(-1) 1,5-dichloroanthraquinone of this study, and a positive correlation was found for the denitrification rate and 1,5-dichloroanthraquinone concentrations from 0 to 25 mmol l(-1). According to the change characteristic of NO(3) (-) and NO(2) (-) during the denitrification process, the tentative accelerating mechanism of the denitrification by redox mediators was put forward, and redox mediator might play the role of reduced cofactors like NADH, N(A)DH and SDH, or the similar ubiquinol/ubiquinone (Q/QH(2)) role during the denitrification process.

Arsenate retention, arsenite sorption and oxidation on the surfaces of Fe-Mn binary oxides may play an important role in the mobilization and transformation of arsenic, due to the common occurrence of these oxides in the environment. However, no sufficient information on the sorption behaviors of arsenic on Fe-Mn binary oxides is available. This study investigated the influences of Mn/Fe molar ratio, solution pH, coexisting calcium ions, and humic acids have on arsenic sorption by Fe-Mn binary oxides. To create Fe-Mn binary oxides, simultaneous oxidation and co-precipitation methods were employed. The Fe-Mn binary oxides exhibited a porous crystalline structure similar to 2-line ferrihydrite at Mn/Fe ratios 1:3 and below, whereas exhibited similar structures to δ-MnO(2) at higher ratios. The As(V) sorption maximum was observed at a Mn/Fe ratio of 1:6, but As(III) uptake maximum was at Mn/Fe ratio 1:3. However, As(III) adsorption capacity was much higher than that of As(V) at each Mn/Fe ratio. As(V) sorption was found to decrease with increasing pH, while As(III) sorption edge was different, depending on the content of MnO(2) in the binary oxides. The presence of Ca(2+) enhanced the As(V) uptake under alkaline pH, but did not significantly influence the As(III) sorption by 1:9 Fe-Mn binary oxide; whereas the presence of humic acid slightly reduced both As(V) and As(III) uptake. These results indicate that As(III) is more easily immobilized than As(V) in the environment, where Fe-Mn binary oxides are available as sorbents and they represent attractive adsorbents for both As(V) and As(III) removal from water and groundwater.

Bacteria play an important role in the decomposition and cycling of a variety of compounds in freshwater aquatic environments, particularly nutrient-rich eutrophic lakes. A unique Chinese eutrophic lake - Dianchi - was selected for study because it has two separate and distinct basins, Caohai with higher organic carbon levels and Waihai with lower organic carbon levels. Sediment bacterial communities were studied in the two basins using samples collected in each season from June 2010 to March 2011. Barcoded pyrosequencing based on the 16 S rRNA gene found that certain common phyla, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Chloroflexi, were dominant in the sediments from both basins. However, from the class to genus level, the dominant bacterial groups found in the sediments were distinct between the two basins. Correlation analysis revealed that, among the environmental parameters examined, total organic carbon (TOC) accounted for the greatest proportion of variability in bacterial community. Interestingly, study results suggest that increasing allochthonous organic carbon could enhance bacterial diversity and biomass in the sediment. In addition, analysis of function genes (amoA and nosZ) demonstrated that ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) were dominant in sediments, with 99% belonging to Nitrosomonas. Denitrifying bacteria were comparatively diverse and were associated with some cultivatable bacteria.

A protein has been isolated from human plasma by gel filtration followed by affinity chromatography with a derivative of wheat germ agglutinin and ion exchange chromatography. This protein showed one peak in high performance liquid chromatography but in gel electrophoresis, in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate and β-mercaptoethanol, revealed two major components of 74 kDa and 55 kDa. These results indicate that the protein probably exists as a complex of the two polypeptides. This protein complex enhanced platelet aggregation by thrombin while aggregation induced by ADP was not significantly affected. Similarly, the rate of thrombin action on fibrinogen and N-benzoylarginine ethyl ester as measured in a spectrophotometer was increased in the presence of this plasma protein. These results suggest the presence of a protein complex in human plasma which can directly interact with thrombin and enhance its reactivity.

Cultures of Curvularia pallescens growing in a modified Czapek-Dox medium produce no lipophilic pigments under conditions of constant illumination or constant darkness; however, cultures grown in an alternating 12-h light-12-h dark cycle produce a red pigment, which is identified as cynodontin on the basis of physicochemical data, together with trace amounts of other pigments presumed also to be hydroxyanthraquinones. It is further suggested that a pigment previously identified as 1,4,5,8-tetrahydroxy-2,6-dimethylanthraquinone is also cynodontin.

Using GLC, multiple adrenal corticosteroid urinary metabolites, including androgenic-anabolic, glucocorticoid, pregnanediol, and pregnanetriol, were measured in eight ambulatory female RA patients and eight matched normal control subjects on baseline, ACTH-, and metyrapone-stimulation days under carefully monitored clinical research center protocol. Neither group had been treated previously with any steroid hormones. The 11-deoxy-17-KS metabolites, derived from adrenal androgenic-anabolic steroids, and comprising androsterone, etiocholanolone, and DHA, were significantly lower in RA patients on baseline (P less than .001), ACTH (P less than .005)-, and metyrapone (P less than .02)-stimulation days. To the contrary, the 11-oxy-17-KS metabolites, derived mainly from glucocorticoids, showed some lowered excretion at baseline (P less than .05), but none on ACTH- or metyrapone-stimulation. RA patients had lower tetrahydrocortisone (P less than .001) and tetrahydro-11-deoxycortisol (P less than .01) excretion at baseline, but not during ACTH- or metyrapone-stimulation, than control subjects. Pregnanetriol excretion was lower (P less than .005) in RA patients than control subjects only during ACTH-stimulation. No difference was found between groups in tetrahydrocortisol or pregnanediol excretion on any day studied. Under conditions of oral metyrapone administration (750 mg every four hours for seven doses) each control subject increased their DHA excretion, but no RA patient showed an increase over baseline excretion (P less than .02). Except for 11-deoxy-17-KS, no difference was found in the other metabolites studied during metyrapone stimulation, ie, pregnanediol, pregnanetriol, tetrahydro-11-deoxycortisol, and tetrahydrocortisol. The 24-hour oral metyrapone test provided a greater stimulus to total 11-deoxy-17-KS excretion than an eight-hour intravenous ACTH test in control and particularly RA (P less than .01) subjects even though the DHA excretion decreased in the RA groups. Our findings of lower adrenal androgenic-anabolic metabolite excretion in female RA patients than normal matched control subjects under various conditions and other supportive androgenic hormone and metabolite studies reviewed in the English reports suggest an abnormality of adrenal androgen synthesis or metabolism in RA, whether it be a primary predisposing or secondary factor in disease. The recognized female sex preponderance and age-specific patterns of occurrence of RA are consistent with adrenal androgenic function in adrenarche, adrenopause, and later changes in aging. Metabolite excretion patterns at baseline, ACTH-, and metyrapone- stimulation indicate the greatest relative

Summary and ConclusionsTwelve guinea pigs were sensitized with dog hemoglobin. Subsequently blood specimens were taken and heparinized and a portion of these specimens mixed with the antigen. White cell counts were done immediately after mixing, and repeated at 30, 60, and 120 minutes. In 2 cases counts were also made at 180 and 240 minutes. Controls of blood and saline in the same ratio as blood and antigen were counted concomitantly on each guinea pig. Blood specimens f rom 10 non-sensitized guinea pigs were similarly collected and counted. No significant difference in the total white cell counts from sensitized or non-sensitized animals either when mixed with saline or with the hemoglobin antigen was detected. The total mean white cell count of the sensitized animals in this series was 32.7% and 34.0% above that of the non-sensitized animals in the control and experimental tubes respectively. The above findings indicate that in vitrolysis of sensitized guinea pig leucocytes by dlog hemoglobin antigen d...