Molecular prenatal diagnosis: the impact of modern technologies

Originally prenatal diagnosis was confined to the diagnosis of metabolic disorders and depended on assaying enzyme levels in amniotic fluid. With the development of recombinant DNA technology, molecular diagnosis became possible for some genetic conditions late in the 1970s. Here we briefly review the history of molecular prenatal diagnostic testing, using Duchenne muscular dystrophy as an example, and describe how over the last 30 years we have moved from offering testing to a few affected individuals using techniques, such as Southern blotting to identify deletions, to more rapid and accurate PCR-based testing which identifies the precise change in dystrophin for a greater number of families. We discuss the potential for safer, earlier prenatal genetic diagnosis using cell free fetal DNA in maternal blood before concluding by speculating on how more recent techniques, such as next generation sequencing, might further impact on the potential for molecular prenatal testing. Progress is not without its challenges, and as cytogenetics and molecular genetics begin to unite into one, we foresee the main challenge will not be in identifying the genetic change, but rather in interpreting its significance, particularly in the prenatal setting where we frequently have no phenotype on which to base interpretation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

分子吸附器在光学相机污染控制中的应用研究

分子吸附器作为一种新型的在轨污染控制手段,具有使用方便、重量轻、无功耗和成本低等特点,可以为航天器光学相机提供在轨污染控制。从在轨分子污染物和分子吸附器特点两方面进行分析,描述了光学相机在轨污染物来源及特点,分析了污染物成分及对光学相机的危害,阐述了分子吸附器(包括吸附剂和基底)的组成及吸附特点。结合相机结构,提出了分子吸附器在光学相机污染控制中的应用方案,并明确了今后的研究方向。     

Fe-NaA分子筛膜的制备及催化湿式H2O2氧化甲基橙溶液

采用湿法造纸、二次生长和湿法浸渍法合成了一种新型微纤复合Fe-NaA分子筛膜催化剂,并将其用于催化湿式H_2O_2氧化甲基橙溶液.首先通过湿法造纸和烧结工艺制备纸状烧结不锈钢微纤(PSSF)载体,然后采用二次生长法在PSSF上合成NaA分子筛膜,最后以九水硝酸铁(Fe(NO_3)_3·9H_2O)和微纤复合NaA分子筛膜为原料,利用湿法浸渍法制备微纤复合Fe-NaA分子筛膜催化剂.考察了连续固定床反应器中温度、床层高度、进料液流量和甲基橙入口浓度对甲基橙降解性能的影响,并测定了催化剂重复使用3次后的稳定性.结果表明,随温度及床层高度增加,甲基橙转化率先增加然后趋于稳定;随进料液流量增加,甲基橙转化率均大于95%,但COD脱除率略有降低,当流量分别为2、3和4 mL·min~(-1),固定床连续运转5 h时COD脱除率分别为81.9%、76.4%和69.8%;随甲基橙入口浓度增加,其转化率变化幅度很小.在pH=2、催化剂床层高度2.0 cm、温度70℃、进料液流量4 mL·min~(-1)、甲基橙浓度50～200 mg·L~(-1)、固定床连续运转5 h的条件下,甲基橙转化率超过96%,COD转化率大于67%,铁浸出浓度低于4 mg·L~(-1).催化剂被重复使用3次后,甲基橙转化率基本保持不变.     

碳纳米管径向尺寸对碳纳米管自支撑膜孔隙结构及通量的影响

为了探索碳纳米材料膜在水处理中应用的可能性,本实验选取4种径向尺寸的碳纳米管(Carbon Nanotubes, CNTs),采用压力辅助过滤技术制备CNTs自支撑膜.通过对CNTs自支撑膜的平均孔径、孔径分布及截留分子量(Molecular weight Cut-Off,MWCO)等进行分析,研究了CNTs径向尺寸变化对CNTs自支撑膜孔隙结构的影响.结果表明,CNTs的径向尺寸越小,制备得到的CNTs自支撑膜越趋向于形成小孔径的膜孔,且孔径分布更加均匀,孔隙面积比越高,膜的MWCO越小.单壁碳纳米管(Single-walled carbon nanotube, SWNT)与多壁碳纳米管(Multi-walled carbon nanotube, MWNT)相比,前者更容易形成膜平均孔径更小且孔径分布更均匀的CNTs自支撑膜.膜通量测定结果表明,研究制备的CNTs自支撑膜的通量属于低压膜范围,通量在230～347 L·m~(-2)·h~(-1)·bar~(-1)之间.其中,虽然由径向尺寸较小的CNTs所制备的CNTs自支撑膜的平均孔径更小,但由于其具有更高的孔隙面积比和更小的膜厚度,其纯水通量相对高于由大径向尺寸CNTs制备的CNTs自支撑膜.     

硅铝比对分子筛吸附氨氮性能的影响

基于X射线荧光光谱法确定的4种ZSM5分子筛硅铝比,分析了不同硅铝比分子筛吸附氨氮性能的差异,结合扫描电镜、X射线衍射分析结果,从分子筛的骨架组成、表面形貌和晶体结构角度,考察了硅铝比对分子筛吸附氨氮性能的影响机制;并探讨了分子筛骨架脱硅对其吸附性能的改善作用,为分子筛应用于污水厂尾水深度脱氮提供技术参考.结果表明,不同硅铝比分子筛的表面形貌、晶体结构与吸附氨氮性能具有显著差异：随着分子筛硅铝比增加,其结晶度下降、晶粒形态逐渐模糊、吸附容量降低;当实际硅铝比由35增大至237时,氨氮平衡吸附量由5.65mg/g降至0.41mg/g,由Langmuir吸附等温式确定的饱和吸附量由6.5963mg/g下降至0.4430mg/g.分子筛吸附过程符合准二级动力学模型,吸附速率受离子交换化学吸附作用机理控制,随着硅铝比升高分子筛的离子交换容量下降,其吸附速率降低.分子筛骨架脱硅能够显著改善其氨氮吸附性能,硅铝比为35的分子筛经碱蚀脱硅处理后,其氨氮平衡吸附量提高81.6%,该方法为改善分子筛吸附性能提供了一种有效的技术途径.     

分子筛脱硅对其结构与吸附氨氮性能的影响

为提高分子筛吸附氨氮的能力,采用碱蚀法对4种不同硅铝比ZSM5型分子筛进行脱硅处理,对比了脱硅前后吸附氨氮性能的差异;结合X射线衍射、扫描电镜等分析手段观察了其孔隙与晶体结构、表面形貌的变化,同时借助X射线荧光光谱、傅里叶红外光谱等表征手段分析了其内部元素组成与骨架基团的变化;考察了分子筛脱硅处理对改善其吸附氨氮性能的影响机制.结果表明,分子筛经脱硅后氨氮吸附量大幅提高,硅铝比越大吸附氨氮性能改善越显著,其中,硅铝比最小的ZSM5-27型分子筛脱硅后的氨氮平衡吸附量由5.81mg/g上升至10.44mg/g,上升幅度亦达79.7%;碱蚀脱硅处理有效降低了ZSM5型分子筛的硅铝比,分子筛硅铝比越大降低越显著.分子筛脱硅后,其介孔比表面积与比孔容增加、孔径分布变得宽泛;晶体结构仍保持完整、晶粒形态变得更加清晰规整;离子交换容量增加、硅/铝氧四面体结构单元作用增强.碱蚀法对ZSM5型分子筛具有骨架脱硅补铝、疏通孔道等多重作用,脱硅后分子筛活性位点增加、氨离子扩散阻力下降,吸附性能得到改善.     

1980—2015年京津冀地区雁鸭类潜在栖息地连接度变化及驱动因素

近几十年来,京津冀地区湿地面积萎缩,生态功能下降,严重影响了湿地水鸟的栖息地质量及栖息地间的连接,对水鸟类的迁徙、繁殖产生较大干扰,为了从整体上定量分析近几十年来湿地栖息地质量及连接度的变化,采用MaxEnt模型（maximum entropy model,最大熵模型）,基于京津冀地区雁鸭类的出现点和环境因子反演其潜在栖息地,并根据图论法原理,利用ECA指数（equivalent connected area,等效连接指数）,度量1980-2015年潜在栖息地连接度的变化.结果表明:①1980-2015年京津冀雁鸭类潜在栖息地面积总体呈下降趋势,由1980年的6 898 km2减至2015年的3 764 km2,减少了45.0%,其中,低适宜区面积降幅最为明显,为50.5%;2009-2015年高适宜区有增加趋势.②1980-2015年雁鸭类潜在栖息地连接度呈持续下降趋势,2000年以后的连接度下降速率大于2000年以前;潜在栖息地连接结构的空间分布有向环渤海地区转移的趋势,连接结构变化最为明显的区域为京津冀中部平原地区.研究显示,区域气候趋暖变干、水资源的供需失衡、水利工程设施建设以及人口增加与经济发展带来的土地利用变化是潜在栖息地面积与连接度下降的主要影响因子,而近些年保护区的建立及生态补水措施等生态保护政策对高适宜区的退化有一定缓解作用.      

Predicting modes of spatial change from state-and-transition models

State-and-transition models (STMs) can represent many different types of landscape change, from simple gradient-driven transitions to complex, (pseudo-) random patterns. While previous applications of STMs have focused on individual states and transitions, this study addresses broader-scale modes of spatial change based on the entire network of states and transitions. STMs are treated as mathematical graphs, and several metrics from algebraic graph theory are applied—spectral radius, algebraic connectivity, and the S-metric. These indicate, respectively, the amplification of environmental change by state transitions, the relative rate of propagation of state changes through the landscape, and the degree of system structural constraints on the spatial propagation of state transitions. The analysis is illustrated by application to the Gualalupe/San Antonio River delta, Texas, with soil types as representations of system states. Concepts of change in deltaic environments are typically based on successional patterns in response to forcings such as sea level change or river inflows. However, results indicate more complex modes of change associated with amplification of changes in system states, relatively rapid spatial propagation of state transitions, and some structural constraints within the system. The implications are that complex, spatially variable state transitions are likely, constrained by local (within-delta) environmental gradients and initial conditions. As in most applications, the STM used in this study is a representation of observed state transitions. While the usual predictive application of STMs is identification of local state changes associated with, e.g., management strategies, the methods presented here show how STMs can be used at a broader scale to identify landscape scale modes of spatial change.     

链状高分子金属配合物催化氧化苯乙烯

利用链状Salen型高分子希夫碱金属配合物PLSBM(M:CoⅡ,MnⅡ,ZnⅡ,CuⅡ)作为催化剂,催化分子氧氧化苯乙烯.结果表明,在不添加任何助剂和共还原剂的条件下,氧化产物以苯甲醛(Ⅰ)和环氧苯乙烷(Ⅱ)为主,PLSBCuⅡ具有最佳的催化活性和产物选择性.考察了影响氧化反应的因素,发现在反应温度为90℃、反应时间为9h和催化剂与苯乙烯用量比为1mg∶2mL时,苯乙烯具有最优的转化率(61％)和产物选择性(Ⅰ:57％,Ⅱ:36％).