Feto-amniotic shunting—report of the experience of four european centres

Few reports concerning intrauterine shunting are available. We investigated the impact of this method. In order to evaluate intrauterine shunting and the complication rate for different indications, we sent a questionnaire to all German-speaking level 3 centres. In four level 3 centres, 52 intrauterine catheters were inserted in 34 fetuses. The indications were uni- or bilateral hydrothorax in nine cases, cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung in four cases, infravesical stenosis in 13 cases, and fetal ascites in eight cases. In three cases (6 per cent), difficulties occurred when the drain was inserted. In 15 cases (29 per cent), the function of the drain was reduced by dislocation or occlusion. The mortality rate caused by shunting was as high as eight per cent (four cases). The application of an intrauterine shunt currently represents a rarely performed ultrasound-guided therapeutic intervention in the fetus. In all cases, the indication for shunting is to avoid compression of normal tissue by cystic structures. A high complication rate restricts the application of drainage to selected cases.     

Die Bestimmung der Herkunft der Marmore von Büsten der Münchener Residenz

51 Greek, Roman and Renaissance marble busts from the Antiquarium of the Residenz in Munich were studied for their C- and O-isotopic composition. Apart from some overlapping values, this technique permits — contrary to microscopic and chemical methods — localization of different Turkish, Greek and Italian marble deposits.     

Mutations of mitochondrial DNA and human death

In the skeletal muscle of patients with mitochondrial myopathies (Kearns-Sayre syndrome and chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia) and in the heart and skeletal muscle of healthy persons cells lacking cytochrome c oxidase are found. The respiratory-defective cells have the following features in common: onset of the defect at juvenile or adult age; progressive character of the defect with increasing age; and focal pattern of respiratory-deficient cells (fibers). A statistic mutation of mtDNA in affected cells is suggested to cause the defect of mitochondrial function. It is postulated that the continuous accumulation of respiratory-deficient cells, mainly in the human heart with increasing age, will finally limit the life-span of each human individual.     

The value of sonographic diagnosis of fetal malformations: Different results between indication-based and screening-based investigations

The advantages of a routine screening or indication-based ultrasound investigation during pregnancy are still under debate. This is the first study where both methods are compared in two different time periods. More malformations were diagnosed before the 24th week of gestation by means of screening-based than indication-based investigation (18 per cent vs. 5 per cent, P<0·005), and before 28 weeks in 26 per cent compared with 15 per cent respectively (P<0·01). Twenty-six per cent of all malformations were detected by means of screening-based investigations as opposed to 15 per cent by means of indication-based scans. Primary fetal malformations were also diagnosed much earlier (25 weeks vs. 30 weeks). Except for the fetal head, the detection rate of malformations was higher in nearly all other body regions of the fetus in the screening-based investigation. The most important advantage of a screening-based ultrasound investigation during pregnancy is to detect the malformations early enough in pregnancy for possible intrauterine treatment or to offer safe termination of pregnancy for the woman, at least for those anomalies that are lethal or significantly handicapping.     

Carbon Offset Potentials of Four Alternative Forest Management Strategies in Canada: A Simulation Study

Using an Integrated TerrestrialEcosystem C-budget model (InTEC), we simulated thecarbon (C) offset potentials of four alternativeforest management strategies in Canada: afforestation,reforestation, nitrogen (N) fertilization, andsubstitution of fossil fuel with wood, under differentclimatic and disturbance scenarios. C offset potentialis defined as additional C uptake by forest ecosystemsor reduced fossil C emissions when a strategy isimplemented to the theoretical maximum possibleextent. The simulations provided the followingestimated gains from management: (1) Afforesting allthe estimated 7.2 Mha of marginal agricultural landand urban areas in 1999 would create an average Coffset potential of 8 Tg C y^-1 during 1999–2100,at a cost of 3.4 Tg fossil C emission in 1999. (2)Prompt reforestation of all forest lands disturbed inthe previous year during 1999–2100 would produce anaverage C offset potential of 57 Tg C y^-1 forthis period, at a cost of 1.33 Tg C y^-1. (3)Application of N fertilization (at the low rate of 5kg N ha^-1 y^-1) to the 125 Mha ofsemi-mature forest during 1999–2100 would create anaverage C offset of 58 Tg C y^-1 for this period,at a cost of 0.24 Tg C y^-1. (4) Increasingforest harvesting by 20% above current average ratesduring 1999–2100, and using the extra wood products tosubstitute for fossil energy would reduce averageemissions by 11 Tg C y^-1, at a cost of 0.54 TgC y^-1. If implemented to the maximum extent, thecombined C offset potential of all four strategieswould be 2–7 times the GHG emission reductionsprojected for the National Action Plan for ClimateChange (NAPCC) initiatives during 2000–2020, and anorder of magnitude larger than the projected increasein C uptake by Canada's agricultural soils due toimproved agricultural practices during 2000–2010.     

Interaction between water flow and spatial distribution of microbial growth in a two-dimensional flow field in saturated porous media

Bacterial growth and its interaction with water flow was investigated in a two-dimensional flow field in a saturated porous medium. A flow cell (56 x 44 x 1 cm) was filled with glass beads and operated under a continuous flow of a mineral medium containing nitrate as electron acceptor. A glucose solution was injected through an injection port, simulating a point source contamination. Visible light transmission was used to observe the distribution of the growing biomass and water flow during the experiment. At the end of the experiment (on day 31), porous medium samples were destructively collected and analyzed for abundance of total and active bacterial cells, bacterial cell volume and concentration of polysaccharides and proteins. Microbial growth was observed in two stripes along the length of the flow cell, starting at the glucose injection port, where highest biomass concentrations were obtained. The spatial distribution of biomass indicated that microbial activity was limited by transverse mixing between glucose and nitrate media, as only in the mixing zone between the media high biological activities were achieved. The ability of the biomass to change the flow pattern in the flow cell was observed, indicating that the biomass was locally reducing the hydraulic conductivity of the porous medium. This bioclogging effect became evident when the injection of the glucose solution was turned off and water flow still bypassed the area around the glucose injection port, preserving the flow pattern as it was during the injection of the glucose solution. As flow bypass was possible in this system, the average hydraulic properties of the flow cell were not affected by the produced biomass. Even in the vicinity of the injection port, the total volume of the bacterial cells remained below 0.01% of the pore space and was unlikely to be responsible for the bioclogging. However, the bacteria produced large amounts of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which likely caused the observed bioclogging effects.     

Effekte bei der erbrütung von eiern des bachsaiblings (Salvelinus fontinalis) in saurem wasser

The development of eggs of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in water acidified with hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid respectively is described. Weight and chloride concentration of the eggs and total length of the alevins are investigated too.     

Analysis of particle-associated semi-volatile aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons in urban particulate matter on a daily basis

PM_2.5 Particle-associated semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC) were determined in the city of Augsburg, Germany. Daily samples were collected at a central monitoring station from late summer to late autumn 2002. The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), oxidized PAH (O-PAH), n-alkanes, hopanes and long chain linear alkylbenzenes were determined by direct thermal desorption-gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry (DTD-GC-TOFMS). Additionally, PM_2.5 particle mass and number concentrations were measured. The sampling campaign can be divided into two parts, distinguished by a lower temperature level in the second part of the campaign. The particulate mass concentration showed no significant changes, whereas most of the SVOC had significant higher mean and peak concentrations in the colder period. The analysis of the data showed an increased influence of non-traffic sources in the colder period, reflected by a weak shift in the PAH profile and a significant shift in the hopane pattern. Statistical analysis of the inter-group correlations was carried out. Eight clusters partly representing different sources of the aerosol have been identified.