Association between fetal nuchal translucency thickness in first trimester and subsequent gestational hypertension and preeclampsia

Increased fetal nuchal translucency (NT) in the first trimester is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Whether the increased NT is also associated with an increased frequency of pregnancy-associated hypertension (PAH) is not known. Seven hundred and seventy-nine pregnant women who received NT-based Down syndrome screening and delivered their babies at our hospital by September 2000 were enrolled into this study. Among these women, there are 46 cases of preeclampsia, 68 cases of gestational hypertension (GH); 665 women without any adverse pregnancy outcomes served as controls. Correlation analysis demonstrated that NT MoM (multiples of median) level had a positive association with maternal diastolic blood pressure at the time of admission for delivery (r = 0.104; p < 0.01). The severity of PAH was concordant with the stepwise increase of mean NT MoM level, which was 0.88 in control, 1.07 in gestational hypertension, and 1.13 in preeclampsia (p < 0.001). Using the 95th (1.52 MoM) and 90th (1.31 MoM) percentiles of NT thickness as cut-offs, the sensitivities and odds ratios of the women at risk for developing GH after 20 weeks of gestation were 8.8%, 19.1% and 1.98, 2.15 respectively, while for preeclampsia were 10.9%, 28.3% and 2.49, 3.58 respectively. It is concluded that the pathological changes in the placenta responsible for the development of PAH may also influence the physiological decrease of NT thickness in late first trimester. However, the sensitivity of fetal NT measurement in first trimester is not sufficient as a single marker for predicting the pregnant women at risk for subsequent PAH. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

阿舍勒块状铜锌硫化物矿床矿物分带

本文对新疆阿舍勒块状铜锌碱化物矿体的内部构造及矿物共生组合进行了研究,与现代海底硫化物矿床的矿物分带作了比较,初步认为影响该矿床矿物分带的主要因素是成矿溶液的初始温度。     

Effect of additional materials on the properties of glass-ceramic produced from incinerator fly ashes

There are 21 Metro-waste incinerators in Taiwan under construction and are expected to be finished at year 2003. It is estimated that these incinerators will produce about two million tons of incinerator ash. In order to reduce the volume and eliminate contamination problems, high temperature molten technology studies have been conducted. The purpose of this research was that of trying to control the chemical composition of the glass-ceramic produced from incinerator fly ash, in order to improve the characteristics of the glass-ceramic. The experimental results showed that the additional materials, Mg(OH)2 and waste glass cullet, can change glass-ceramic phases from gehlenite to augite, pigeonite, and diopside. The physical, mechanical and chemical resistance properties of the glass-ceramic also showed much better characteristics than prepared glass-ceramic using incinerator fly ash alone.     

Whole-mount in situ TUNEL method revealed ectopic pattern of apoptosis in cadmium treated naupliar larvae of barnacle (Balanus amphitrite Darwin)

The effect of cadmium on stage II naupliar larvae of barnacle (Balanus amphitrite Darwin) was investigated. Barnacle larvae were exposed to 0-15 microM CdCl(2) for 24 h. Apoptotic cells were stained by the terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) method. Incidence of apoptosis, as measured by numbers of animals with ectopic pattern of apoptosis as well as numbers of apoptotic cells per animal, was assessed using confocal microscopy. An increase in incidence of apoptosis was observed in the experimental animals with an increase in cadmium concentration. Mortality increased, and motility decreased, when barnacle larvae were exposed to an increasing concentration of cadmium. The relationship between the occurrence of apoptosis and swimming behaviour was investigated in larvae exposed to 10 microM CdCl(2). Significant increases in apoptosis were detected in the non-motile and dead nauplii. This study suggested that whole-mount in situ TUNEL method may be used to study increased occurrence of apoptotic cells in crustacean larvae.     

晋普山煤矿3~#风井主要通风机安全技术参数测定与分析

晋普山煤矿原有 1#、2 #两个回风井 ,随着生产的扩大 ,新开掘了 3#回风井 ,并新安装了 2台 2K60 -№ 2 8风机即 5 #、6 #风机。根据《煤矿安全规程》的要求 ,在新风机投入运行之前 ,必须进行性能鉴定 ,同时为掌握 3#风井新安装的两台风机实际性能 ,对矿井通风系统改造提供依据 ,笔者分别对 5 #、6 #风机叶片安装角为 2 5°、2 0°和 15°进行了性能鉴定。根据鉴定结果进行了合理分析。     

Simulated effects of crop rotations and residue management on wind erosion in Wuchuan,west-central Inner Mongolia,China

For decades, wind erosion has triggered dust and sand storms, buffeting Beijing and areas of northwestern China to the point of being hazardous to human health while rapidly eroding crop and livestock productivity. The EPIC (Environmental Policy Integrated Climate) field-scale simulation model was used to assess long-term effects of improved crop rotations and crop residue management practices on wind erosion in Wuchuan County in Inner Mongolia. Simulation results indicate that preserving crop stalks until land is prepared by zone tillage for the next year's crop in lieu of using them as a source of heating fuel or livestock fodder significantly reduces wind erosion by 60%. At the same time, grain and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) yields were maintained or improved. Significant reductions in erosion, 35 to 46%, also resulted from delaying stalk removal until late January through late April. Yearly wind erosion was concentrated in April and May, the windiest months. Additionally, the use of alternative crop rotations resulted in differences in wind erosion, largely due to a difference in residue stature and quality and differences in biomass produced. As a result, altering current crop rotation systems by expanding corn (Zea mays L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and millet [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] and reducing potato and pea (Pisum sativum L.) production significantly reduced simulated wind erosion, thus diminishing the severity of dust and sand storms in northwestern China. Saving and protecting topsoil over time will sustain land productivity and have long-term implications for improving conditions of rural poverty in the region.     

A Sensitive Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Method for Detection of Polyimide Degradation by Microorganisms

An electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique was evaluated for monitoring microbial degradation of electronic packaging polyimides. The microbial inoculum was a mixed culture of fungi isolated previously from deteriorated polyimides. The active fungal consortium comprised Aspergillus versicolor, Cladosporium cladosporioides, and a Chaetomium species. After inoculation, fungal growth on the polyimides resulted in distinctive EIS spectra indicative of polymer insulation failure, which directly related to polymer integrity. Degradation appeared to occur in a number of steps and two distinctive stages in the decline of film resistance were observed in the inoculated EIS cells within the 2 and 10 weeks after inoculation. The early stage of resistance decrease may be related to the ingress of water molecules and ionic species into the polymeric materials, whereas the second stage probably resulted from partial degradation of the polymers by fungal growth on the polymer film. The relationship between changes of impedance spectra and microbial degradation of the polymer was further supported by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations of fungi growing on the surface of the inoculated polyimides. Our data indicate that the EIS can be used in detection of early degradation of resistant polymers and polyimides that are susceptible to biodeterioration.     

Eco-environmental changes and causative analysis in the source regions of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, China

In the most recent four decades the eco-environment in the source regions of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers has been continuously getting worse, this is mainly manifested in the serious vegetation degradation, rapidly developing desertification, lake shrinkage and salinization, wetland degradation and biodiversity reduction. This paper attempts to give a quantitative analysis to such eco-environmental changes and explore their causes. The main factors responsible for such changes are climate change and the alterations of glacial snow accumulation and the freeze-thaw processes of the frozen soil, as well as overgrazing and rodent damage. The eco-environmental changes in the source regions not only influence the social-economic development of these regions but also have affected, or are affecting, the whole river basins' social-economic development.     

白腐真菌对染料脱色及降解过程机理和影响因素

许多白腐真菌对染料具有广谱的脱色和降解能力 ,其脱色及降解作用可能主要是由于其在次生代谢阶段产生的木质素过氧化酶LiPs和锰过氧化酶MnPs所致。培养条件对白腐真菌脱色及降解活性有较大的影响 ,在培养基中加入藜芦醇和二价锰等能够显著提高木质素过氧化酶的产生 ;富氮培养基会抑制LiPs的生成 ;硫脲、叠氮化物、氰化物等均能明显地抑制白腐真菌的脱色及降解活性 ;缓冲液的选择对维持稳定的 pH值和菌丝的形态有一定作用 ,从而影响其脱色效果 ;富氧环境是一切白腐真菌对染料进行脱色和降解的必要条件 ;适度的搅拌混合有利于反应时的物质之间传递 ;一般地 ,在培养时间达到 3天以后白腐真菌才能达到较高的脱色与降解活性。染料分子大小和结构及其基团的位置对脱色及降解效果有明显影响。使用特殊填料极大地提高处理系统中的生物量以克服真菌生长速度相对较慢、提高处理能力是该技术今后的研究重点。