Prenatal findings on ultrasound and X-ray in a case of overgrowth syndrome associated with increased nuchal translucency

A case of prenatal diagnosis of an overgrowth syndrome at 30 weeks of gestation is reported. The diagnosis was suggested on the basis of increased fetal growth from 16 weeks onwards, advanced bone age, and characteristic facial features such as hypertelorism, broad forehead and small chin. The fetus presented at 12 weeks with a markedly increased nuchal translucency thickness and generalized skin edema, but normal karyotype. Serial ultrasound scans revealed brain abnormalities including mild unilateral ventriculomegaly and a cyst in the cavum septi pellucidi. The pregnancy was terminated at the parents' request at 32 weeks of gestation and postmortem examination confirmed the prenatal findings. This case demonstrates the possibility of prenatal diagnosis of early overgrowth syndromes and highlights the dilemma arising from the prenatal diagnosis of a non-lethal condition associated with an uncertain prognosis and poorly documented in utero. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coking wastewater increases micronucleus frequency in mouse in vivo via oxidative stress

Coking wastewater has caused serious health risk in coal-producing areas of China, however its toxic effects have not been well understood. The genotoxicity induced by coking wastewater on mice in vivo and its possible oxidative mechanisms were investigated via observing the induction of micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes of mouse bone marrow, and subsequently determining the antioxidative enzyme activities （superoxide dismutase Cu, Zn-SOD, Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase, and catalase）, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance contents and protein carbonyl levels in brains and livers of mice. Results showed that the tested coking wastewater caused a significant increase of micronucleus frequencies in a concentration-dependent manner. Also, the sample increased lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation levels, which was accompanied by changes in antioxidative status. Interestingly, pre-treatment with an antioxidant （vitamin C） led to a statistical reduction in the micronucleus frequency caused by coking wastewater. This implies that coking wastewater induces evident genetic damage in mammalian cells, and exposure to polluted areas might pose a potential genotoxic risk to human beings; in the process, oxidative stress played a crucial role.     

Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution with bamboo charcoal chemically modified by iron and cobalt with the assistance of microwave

Bamboo charcoal (BC) was used as starting material to prepare Co-Fe binary oxideloaded adsorbent (Co-Fe-MBC) through its impregnation in Co(NO3)2 , FeCl3 and HNO3 solutions simultaneously, followed by microwave heating. The low-cost composite was characterized and used as an adsorbent for Cr(VI) removal from water. The results showed that a cobalt and iron binary oxide (CoFe2O4 ) was uniformly formed on the BC through redox reactions. The composite exhibited higher surface area (331 m2/g) than that of BC or BC loaded with Fe alone (Fe-MBC). The adsorption of Cr(VI) strongly depended on solution pH, temperature and ionic strength. The adsorption isotherms followed the Langmuir isotherm model well, and the maximum adsorption capacities for Cr(VI) at 288 K and pH 5.0 were 35.7 and 51.7 mg/g for Fe-MBC and Co-Fe-MBC, respectively. The adsorption processes were well fitted by the pseudo second-order kinetic model. Thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorption of Cr(VI) onto both adsorbents was feasible, spontaneous, and exothermic under the studied conditions. The spent Co-Fe-MBC could be readily regenerated for reuse.     

Use of agricultural waste for the removal of nitrate-nitrogen from aqueous medium

The effectiveness of wheat straw charcoal (WSC) and mustard straw charcoal (MSC) as adsorbents for the removal of nitrate-nitrogen from water has been investigated. Commercial activated carbon (CAC) was used as a standard for comparison. The adsorption effectiveness of MSC was highest followed by CAC and WSC irrespective of the concentration of nitrate-nitrogen in the range of 0-25mg/l. The effects of temperature in the range of 15-28 degrees C on adsorption by WSC and MSC have also been investigated. It was observed that the temperature dependence of the adsorption effectiveness of MSC was higher than that of WSC and CAC. It is concluded that the MSC can be used for the in situ treatment by adsorption of nitrate-nitrogen in underground and surface water.     

Paleoecological Assessment of Watershed History in PRIMENet Watersheds at Acadia National Park, USA

Paleoecological reconstructions of forest stand histories for two upland watersheds at Acadia National Park in Maine were completed to support related watershed chemistry studies. The project hypothesis was that forest type and fire history influence long-term cycling and storage of atmospheric mercury and nitrogen within watersheds. The reconstructions document differences in major vegetation composition and disturbance between the burned and unburned watersheds during the past several centuries. Pollen and charcoal stratigraphies from organic sediment accumulations in forested wet depressions indicate that the present experimental design of contrasting disturbance and forest histories has persisted during recent centuries. The unburned watershed has been dominated by spruce (Picea rubens) and fir (Abies balsamea) for 500 years or more and has not recently burned or been substantially cleared. The burned watershed is dominated by a heterogeneous forest of patchy hardwood, mixed wood, and softwood stands. A large portion of this watershed burned severely in 1947 and probably more than once in the 1800s, and has supported heterogeneous successional forests for 200 years or longer. Overall, these results support the underlying premise that the experimental design of this watershed research can be used to infer landscape controls on biogeochemical processes.     

松针炭载铈材料对罗丹明B的吸附性能研究

在氮气氛围下热解制备松针炭,采用浸渍法将硝酸铈负载到松针炭上,在300℃氛围中焙烧2 h,制得铈改性松针炭。用罗丹明B溶液模拟染料废水,分别研究松针炭和铈改性松针炭对罗丹明B的吸附效果。实验表明:加热温度为300℃、升温速率为10℃/min、加热时间为2 h时,制备的松针炭对罗丹明B的去除率为68.8%;浸渍浓度为0.02 mol/L、焙烧温度为300℃时制备的Ce/PC复合材料对罗丹明B的去除率为81.6%。松针炭经铈改性后,吸附性能大幅提高。