Amniotic fluid gel acetylcholinesterase determination in prenatal diagnosis: Dark field illumination as a method for improving the detection of precipitation bands

This paper describes a sensitive method for the detection of precipitation bands in the qualitative acetylcholinesterase (AChe) gel test. This method–dark field illumination–is compared with two existing methods of detection: epi-illumination of unstained gels and transillumination of dithio-oxamide stained gels. The comparison has been carried out on a selected series of 271 amniotic fluid samples, taken before the 22nd week of gestation. All 96 samples from normal pregnancies were scored as negative with all three visualization methods. For the detection of neural tube defects (NTD) and omphaloceles, dark field illumination proved to be more efficient than epi-illumination or dithio-oxamide staining. In one case of another congenital defect, we obtained a positive result with dark field illumination, and a negative one with the other detection methods. It is concluded that dark field illumination was shown to be the most sensitive method for the detection of precipitation bands.     

The impact of maternal serum alpha fetoprotein screening on open neural tube defect births in North-East Scotland

Over the three years period 1980–1982, 18 256 pregnancies in the Grampian Region of N-E Scotland including the islands of Orkney and Shetland were screened for raised levels of maternal serum alpha fetoprotein (MSAFP) in the second trimester. Thirty six cases of fetal open neural tube defect in singletons were detected (18 anencephaly and 18 spina bifida). Four additional cases of open spina bifida were associated with normal MSAFP levels although two of these were detected by amniotic fluid AFP measurement when amniocentesis was carried out because of previous NTD history. A further three cases of open spina bifida and two of anencephaly occurred in unscreened pregnancies. The MSAFP screening programme alone was thus instrumental in reducing the birth incidence of open neural tube defects by 36 out of 45 cases (80 per cent) in singletons.     

Radiological assessment of surface water quality around proposed uranium mining site in India

The gross alpha and gross beta activities were estimated for radiological assessment of surface water quality around the proposed uranium mining site Kylleng Pyndengsohiong Mawthabah (Domiasiat), West Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya situated in a high rainfall area (12,000 mm) in India. 189 Surface water samples were collected over different seasons of the year from nine different locations covering around 100 km². Gross beta activities were found to vary from 144 to 361 mBq/L which is much below the prescribed WHO limit of 1000 mBq/L for drinking water. Gross alpha activities varied from 61 to 127 mBq/L. These values are much below the reported gross alpha values by other countries. In about 7% of the samples the alpha activities remain exceeded the WHO guideline limit of 100 mBq/L. Surface water samples collected during the summer season of the year show higher activity whereas low activity was found from samples collected during monsoon season. Results show that all water sources are acceptable as drinking water for human consumption from the radiological point of view, the higher gross alpha concentrations in a few locations remains so only for short duration during the summer season.     

云南九大高原湖泊水体总α、总β调查与评价

报道了对云南九大高原湖泊水体中总α、总β放射性水平的调查结果,并对调查结果进行了分析比较,为开展水体的环境辐射评价提供一定的依据。调查结果表明,这九大高原湖泊水体的总α、总β放射性水平属正常本底水平。     

梭鱼和青鳉鱼ERα介导的雌激素活性比较研究

为从物种雌激素受体(ERα)敏感性差异的角度探索辽东湾野生梭鱼雌雄同体高发生率的一个可能原因,从梭鱼肝脏cDNA中扩增出长1113 bp的梭鱼ERα(sERα) DEF区片段,并以此构建pGBT9-sERα DEF 质粒,将其和pGAD424-TIF2质粒依次转入Y190酵母细胞中,建立了sERα物种特异性的酵母双杂交筛选系统.在此系统中测试了4种环境中主要的雌激素雌酮(E1)、17β-雌二醇(E2)、雌三醇(E3)及17α-炔雌醇(EE2)对梭鱼ERα的诱导活性,半数雌激素活性浓度(EC50)为3.7、2.4、1698.7、1.2nmol/L,分别是青鳉鱼ERα活性的4.6、2.3、3.4、3.3倍,说明梭鱼ERα对E1、E2、E3、EE2具有较高的敏感性,这为解释辽东湾梭鱼雌雄同体的高发生现象提供了重要线索.     

关于水中总α总β放射性测量监测方法改进的探讨

目前国内关于水中总α、总β放射性测量相关标准还不够细化,操作规程在一些细节方面还存在部分问题,为减小实验误差,提高实验准确度,对监测方法进行了改进.对前期水中总α、总β放射性监测的实验过程进行经验总结,对实验条件进行优化改进,通过回收率和准确度对实验结果进行验证.对水中总α、总β放射性监测实验过程中的水样放置时间、蒸发...