Prenatal diagnosis of morquio's disease type a (n-acetylgalactosamine 6-sulphate sulphatase deficiency)

Prenatal monitoring of three pregnancies at risk of Morquio's disease type A by determination of N-acetylgalactosamine 6-sulphate sulphatase activity in cultured amniotic cells is reported. In one pregnancy prenatal diagnosis of one affected fetus was made. Enzyme determinations in tissues of the aborted fetus confirmed the prenatal diagnosis.     

Fetal presentation of morquio disease type A

A fetus with mucopolysaccharidosis type IV A (Morquio type A) is described. The family had one affected child exhibiting symptoms of classical Morquio A disease, and late in the subsequent pregnancy prenatal diagnosis was requested. At 23 weeks' gestation, moderate ascites was detected by detailed ultrasound scan and keratan sulphate was found in the amniotic fluid. The pregnancy was terminated by prostaglandin induction and the diagnosis of mucopolysaccharidosis type IV A was confirmed by demonstration of a deficiency of N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulphate (GalNac-6-S) sulphatase in cultured amniotic cells and in post-mortem fibroblast cultures. The activities of β-galactosidase and arylsulphatase A were normal, ruling out Morquio disease type B and multiple sulphatase deficiency. These results indicate that mucopolysaccharidosis IV A (a disease that predominantly affects the skeletal system) may produce ascites in the fetus to such an extent that it can be detected by ultrasound.     

多聚磷酸盐激酶基因在污水生物除磷中的功能

为验证多聚磷酸盐激酶基因(ppk)在污水生物除磷中的功能.采用Red敲除系统,以p KD4质粒为模板,设计同源短臂,扩增外源线性DNA片段,将外源线性DNA片段电转化整合入已导入p KD46的大肠杆菌ATCC25922野生型菌株.获得重组菌E.coli/ppk~-Kan~+.将p CP20导入大肠杆菌E.coli/ppk~-Kan~+以消除卡那霉素抗性基因,通过负抗性筛选及正反向引物验证,构建无抗生素抗性的ppk基因缺失工程菌株E.coli/ppk~-Kan~-.比较工程菌株和野生型菌株的生长特性,并比较两者在缺磷诱导/富磷及多次厌氧/好氧诱导条件下的除磷性能.结果表明采用Red重组系统,通过无痕敲除,成功构建了大肠杆菌ppk基因缺失菌株E.coli/ppk~-Kan~-.敲除后的工程菌株和野生型菌株生长整体没有差异,但是4 h前对数期工程菌株生长快于野生型菌株,8 h后稳定期工程菌株生长慢于野生型菌株,表明ppk影响菌体的生长;缺磷诱导/富磷条件下,工程菌株并未表现出因ppk缺失而影响其除磷能力;经过5次厌氧/好氧诱导,两菌菌体含磷量保持在1%~2%,没有因诱导次数的增加而表现出菌体含磷量增加的趋势,也未发现厌氧有PHB好氧有聚磷颗粒生成,表明ppk基因的缺失并没有引起菌体除磷能力的下降.ppk并未表现出明显的与污水生物除磷相关的功能.     

Enhancement of amniocyte growth on a precoated surface

This study investigates whether cell-free amniotic fluid facilitates cell attachment to the surface of culture plates and thereby promotes rapid amniocyte growth. Isolated or pooled cell-free amniotic fluid samples at different volumes were added to culture plates. Trypsinized subcultures, grown in Eagle's minimum essential alpha medium supplemented with fetal bovine serum (4–20 per cent), were monitored by cell counts. The results demonstrated growth stimulation on culture plates precoated with amniotic fluid. The minimal time for coating the culture plates was 6h. Maximal coating was observed after an overnight incubation with 2–3 ml of the fluid per culture vessel. No synergistic effect from addition of fetal bovine serum to amniotic fluid was observed. A freshly coated surface provided the best amniocyte growth. When primary cultures are grown on a precoated surface, there is an increase in colony counts in 80 per cent of the samples tested. This method may be used to improve amniocyte growth, especially in samples with relatively small numbers of cells.     

Management of prenatally detected trisomy 8 mosaicism

We report on ten pregnancies with trisomy 8 mosaicism. Nine cases were prenatally detected in chorionic villi (n=6), amniotic fluid (AF) cells (n=2) or fetal blood (FB) lymphocytes (n=1). Follow-up laboratory investigations showed confined placental mosaicism (CPM) or pseudomosaicism in eight cases. In one case with ultrasound abnormalities, trisomy 8 mosaicism was detected in FB cells although cultured AF cells showed normal cells only. Another case of mosaic trisomy 8 was prenatally missed; cytogenetic analysis of short-term cultured villi revealed a normal male karyotype, while postnatally, trisomy 8 mosaicism was detected in peripheral blood lymphocytes and skin fibroblasts of the affected child. These findings indicate the difficulties in the prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 8 mosaicism. When found in chorionic villi, it mostly represented CPM, while in a case of true fetal trisomy 8 mosaicism, the cytotrophoblast cells showed a normal karyotype. So, the cytotrophoblast compartment of chorionic villi is a poor indicator of the presence or absence of fetal trisomy 8 mosaicism. Follow-up investigations including amniocentesis and especially fetal blood sampling are required to come to a definite prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 8 mosaicism. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Prenatal diagnosis of the Hunter syndrome and the introduction of a new fluorimetric enzyme assay

Prenatal diagnosis of the Hunter syndrome (mucopolysaccharidosis type II; MPS II) is preferably achieved by the assay of iduronate-2-sulphate sulphatase (IDS) in uncultured chorionic villi (CV) as this allows early (12th week), rapid (2–3 days) and reliable results. We summarize the results of 174 prenatal analyses in the past 30 years, using various methods such as radiolabelled sulphate incorporation in amniotic fluid (AF) cells, glycosaminoglycan (GAG)-electrophoresis in AF and IDS assay in CV, CV-cells, AF and AF-cells. Twenty-seven fetuses with MPS II were diagnosed after finding clearly abnormal results in pregnancies with a male fetus; very low IDS activity has also been measured in some pregnancies with a (heterozygous) female fetus, emphasizing the need to combine enzyme assay with fetal sex determination. IDS activity has until recently been assessed by a cumbersome radioactive enzyme assay. Here we describe the use of a novel fluorigenic 4-methylumbelliferyl substrate, which allows a sensitive, rapid and convenient assay of IDS activity and reliable early prenatal diagnosis. This novel IDS assay was validated in retrospective analyses of 14 CV, CV-cell, AF and AF-cell samples from affected pregnancies in addition to prospective prenatal diagnosis in eight pregnancies at risk with one MPS II-affected fetus. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Germline mosaicism complicates molecular diagnosis of Lesch–Nyhan syndrome

A healthy female with a brother suffering from Lesch–Nyhan syndrome was assigned a carrier status on the basis of haplotype analysis employing flanking and intragenic polymorphic markers of the HPRT gene. Her mother has been confirmed as a definite carrier by cell growth selection studies in cultured fibroblasts. In our proposita's first pregnancy, a male fetus was identified carrying the risk allele. Afterwards, the underlying novel mutation A161E (GCA→GAA at position c482) could be identified in the affected brother and in the heterozygous mother but not in the DNA of the pregnant sister and fetus. The fetus was also confirmed to be normal by uptake of 14C-hypoxanthine in cultured amniotic cells. To test the discrepancy, the investigation was extended by recruiting additional family members. The data obtained showed that the mother had passed her risk haplotype to the affected son as well as to her mutation-carrying and non–mutation-carrying daughters. This provides the first evidence of concomitant somatic and germline mosaicism in Lesch–Nyhan syndrome. The study has a bearing on genetic counselling and cautions against the reliability of only using indirect genetic diagnosis even with intragenic markers. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

First trimester diagnosis of Wolman's disease

Wolman's disease was diagnosed in the first trimester of pregnancy by the direct demonstration of acid lipase deficiency in chorionic villi. The diagnosis was confirmed by studies on cultured chorionic villus cells and fetal skin fibroblasts. Acid lipase activity was assayed with both 4-methylumbelliferyl-palmitate and radiolabelled cholesterol oleate as substrates. The higher specificity of the enzyme for the latter, natural, substrate makes it superior in prenatal diagnosis.     

催化臭氧氧化过程中溴酸盐的生成机制研究

以黄河下游某水厂滤后水为目标物,选择了9种催化剂,在间歇反应装置中研究了单独臭氧和催化臭氧氧化过程中溴酸盐（BrO 3-）的生成情况,结果表明,在催化臭氧氧化过程中,NiO、CuO、Fe3O4、Al2O3加入使BrO 3-质量分数分别降低34.0%、32.8%、29.2%、20.8%.选取Fe3 O4作为催化剂研究催化...     

Amylo-1,6-glucosidase activity in cultured cells: A deficiency in type III glycogenosis with prenatal studies

Deficiency of amylo-1,6–glucosidase activity was expressed in parallel in liver and skin fibroblasts from a patient with type III glycogenosis. In crude extracts of control liver and muscle, amylo-1, 6–glucosidase (M.W. 164000) was identified by immunoprecipitation; no cross-reacting material was found in the patient's liver. Assay of amylo-1,6–glucosidase activity in cultured skin fibroblasts from the affected family revealed less than 10 per cent of control value in mutant homozygous cells whereas in cells from the parents, activity was reduced to 40–60 per cent of the control value. Activity in cultured amniotic fluid cells was similar to that of control fibroblasts. In cultured amniotic fluid cells obtained during the mother's subsequent pregnancy, the normal amylo–1,6–glucosidase activity measured, predicted correctly the outcome of this pregnancy prior to the 20th week of gestation.     

Prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 6 mosaicism

We report on a fetus with multiple congenital anomalies detected at the prenatal ultrasound examination and a trisomy 6 mosaicism in the amniocytes. The pregnancy was interrupted in the 18th gestational week and the autopsy revealed malformations including cleft right hand, arthrogryposis and hypoplasia of the 4th digit of the left hand, syndactylies and overlapping toes, facial dysmorphism with hypertelorism and low-set ears, ventricular septum defect (VSD), intestinal malrotation and scoliosis. Trisomy 6 mosaicism was detected in cultured amniocytes (13.3%), confirmed in umbilical cord fibroblasts (40%) and by fluorescence in situ hybridization on other fetal tissues. Trisomy 6 mosaicism is a very rare finding with only eight cases previously reported to our best knowledge. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Maternal cell contamination in chorionic villus samples assessed by direct preparations and three different culture methods

Presumptive maternal cell contamination (MCC) was monitored in identified male cases during cytogenetic comparison of direct techniques and three different culture regimes from 140 thoroughly dissected chorionic villus samples. Of the 66 identified male cases, 11(16·7 per cent) showed MCC, the mean number of cells examined per case being 8·2 (direct) and 14·5 (cultures); in the direct preparations only one of a total of 457 cells examined was female, while preparations from cultures revealed MCC in 11 cases. Four of these had MCC in more than one culture regime and four had only a single female cell. The results showed that (1) dependence on the culture system alone would have given a diagnosis based on maternal cells in one (1·5 per cent) male case, thus underlining the danger of this approach (a similar undetected rate of misdiagnosis being expected in the female cases) and (2) MCC was significantly lower in cultures grown in Chang medium as compared with the other two regimes, McCoy's 5A + 15 per cent fetal calf serum and 1 per cent Ultroser G, and McCoy's 5A + 25 per cent fetal calf serum, the latter expressing the highest level of MCC.     

Prenatal diagnosis with biotinylated chromosome specific probes

We have used a Y-chromosome specific DNA probe in a controlled study to determine the presence of Y-chromosome material and to detect numerical abnormalities in uncultured amniotic fluid cells by fluorescent hybridization. Using this non-radioactive method, we correctly predicted fetal sex within 48 h in all but 3 of 54 cases and identified an XYY syndrome. The technique was previously tested with no false-positive or false-negative results on cultured interphase or metaphase nuclei of fetal fibroblasts and adult T-lymphocytes. Fluorescent in situ hybridization was applied to long-term fixed cytogenetic preparations up to 44 months old and was shown to be reliable.     

Prenatal diagnosis of glutathione synthase deficiency

Prenatal diagnosis for glutathione synthase (EC 6·3.2·3) deficiency in two pregnancies of an at-risk couple was performed on amniotic fluid taken at 16 weeks' gestation. 5-Oxoproline (pyroglutamic acid) levels were 970 and 790 μmol/l compared with the normal mean value of 29 μmol/l (range 13–51 μmol/l). The pregnancies were terminated and the diagnosis in one case was subsequently confirmed by assay of glutathione synthase in cultured fetal fibroblasts. In the other, post-mortem tissue samples failed to grow.     

Prenatal diagnosis of sanfilippo disease type C using a simple fluorometric enzyme assay

A new fluorogenic substrate, 4-methylumbelliferyl β-D-glucosaminide, was used for the assay of acetyl CoA:glucosaminide N-acetyltransferase in chorionic villi, cultured villus cells, and amniocytes. Optimal conditions for the assay and the ranges of enzyme activity were established for the various types of fetal cells. This simple fluorometric assay provides a reliable method for early prenatal diagnosis of Sanfilippo disease type C which is more convenient than current methods using radiolabelled substrates. The method was applied to amniotic fluid cells and fetal fibroblasts from an at-risk pregnancy in which an affected fetus was diagnosed by two-dimensional electrophoresis of glycosaminoglycans in the amniotic fluid.     

Prenatal diagnosis of Pallister–Killian syndrome: Resolution of cytogenetic ambiguity by use of fluorescent in situ hybridization

We report a case of Pallister-Killian syndrome initially diagnosed prenatally as tetrasomy 21. A 33-year-old primiparous woman was noted at 24 weeks' gestation to have moderate polyhydramnios. Ultrasonography showed diminished fetal stomach filling, hydronephrosis, and prominence of the cisterna magna. Cytogenetic analysis of cultured amniocytes was initially interpreted as mosaic tetrasomy 21: 46,XX/47,XX,+i(21q). The patient was then referred to our centre for genetic counselling. At 34 weeks' gestation, a dysmorphic infant was delivered and died within 30 min. Physical features were consistent with the Pallister-Killian syndrome. Renal, gastrointestinal, and central nervous system anomalies were found at post-mortem examination. Analysis of peripheral lymphocytes revealed 5 per cent of cells with a marker chromosome, while 92 per cent of cultured fibroblasts had this same marker. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) using an alpha-satellite probe for chromosomes 13 and 21 failed to hybridize to the marker, while a chromosome 12 centromeric probe unequivocally identified it as an i(12p). Use of FISH can provide rapid, specific prenatal diagnosis of ambiguous marker chromosomes and improve prenatal counselling.     

UV/H2O2降解美罗培南的影响因素及毒性研究

利用波长为254 nm的紫外灯活化过氧化氢(H_2O_2)氧化降解美罗培南(MPN),考察了H_2O_2投加量、初始pH值、水中常见共存阴离子(Cl~-、HCO~-_3、NO~-_3)和天然有机化合物(NOM)等重要影响因素对MPN降解的影响.结果表明,紫外光功率为4 W,初始pH为7.0,n(H_2O_2)/n(MPN)=20∶1时,反应20 min后,MPN的降解率达到97.8%.H_2O_2投加量的增加会加快MPN的降解速率,Cl~-和HCO~-_3对UV/H_2O_2体系中MPN去除效果的影响较小,极少量的NO~-_3会促进MPN的降解,当NO~-_3的浓度≥10 mg·L~(-1)时,MPN的降解受到抑制,且离子浓度越高,抑制程度表现越明显.NOM的存在对MPN的降解有抑制作用.与纯水相比,MPN在实际水体中的去除受到抑制,归因于水体基质的影响.大肠杆菌的急性毒性实验研究表明,MPN的中间转化产物保留了一些抗菌性能,但光解的最终产物无抗菌性能.     

碳负载富氧空位的NiCo2O4用于电催化还原硝酸盐

水体中硝酸盐是一种广泛存在的污染物,因此,开发用于水中硝酸盐还原的高效电催化剂受到广泛关注.采用溶胶-凝胶法耦合硼氢化钠还原法制备了碳负载富氧空位的NiCo₂O_4-x/C电催化剂,并研究其去除硝酸盐的性能.结果发现,在该体系中,耦合导电碳载体可改善半导体型电催化剂导电性,构建氧空位可促使原子H^*生成,最终实现硝酸盐高效还原.NiCo₂O_4-x/C阴极在电流密度为20 mA·cm^-2、pH=7的条件下,可于3 h内去除水中94.8%的NO₃^--N,相较于NiCo₂O₄及NiCo₂O₄/C阴极,NO₃^--N去除率分别提高了36.6%和12.2%.此外,NiCo₂O_4-x/C阴极在连续5次还原硝酸盐过程中性能并未有明显变化.结合掩蔽实验和电子顺磁共振波谱分析证实,NiCo₂O_4-x/C阴极除了可通过直接电子还原硝酸盐外,还可以通过生成原子H^*间接还原硝酸盐.通过对实际废水处理进一步验证其转化硝酸盐的性能,研究表明,NiCo₂O_4-x/C阴极可有效去除焦化废水生物出水中硝酸盐.     

Cd对小白菜生长及氮素代谢的影响研究

采用水培的方法,研究了不同Cd2 水平(0、1、2.5、5、10 mg·L-1)对小白菜叶片中铵态氮、硝态氮、可溶性蛋白质、游离脯氨酸、叶绿素、部分营养元素含量以及蛋白水解酶、硝酸还原酶、谷氨酰胺转化酶与合成酶活性的影响.结果表明,低浓度的Cd处理(1 mg·L-1)刺激了小白菜的生长,提高了小白菜的生物量、叶绿素含量以及硝酸还原酶、谷氨酰胺合成酶与转化酶活性.Cd处理降低了小白菜对Cu、Ca、Fe、Mg的吸收,但促进了P的吸收.10 mg·L-1的Cd处理显著降低了可溶性蛋白质含量、硝酸还原酶、谷氨酰胺合成酶和转化酶活性(p＜0.05),提高了蛋白水解酶活性,不利于叶片中铵态氮与硝态氮的同化,造成叶片中铵态氮和硝态氮的累积.小白菜叶片中游离脯氨酸含量与铵态氮含量成极显著正相关(p＜0.01),说明小白菜叶片中游离脯氨酸的累积在一定程度上缓解了铵的毒害.     

Second-trimester maternal serum screening using alpha-fetoprotein,human chorionic gonadotrophin,and unconjugated oestriol: Experience of a regional programme

Over a 2-year period from January 1991 to December 1992, second-trimester maternal serum screening for Down's syndrome using alpha-fetoprotein (aFP), human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), and unconjugated oestriol (uE₃) was made available to five health districts in East Anglia, with a total population of 1·2 million. Amniocentesis was offered when the risk of Down's syndrome at term was 1:200 or greater. 25359 singleton pregnancies were screened, representing an uptake of 77 per cent. The recall rate for the 24 per cent of women who had not had a dating scan prior to the test was 9·4 per cent compared with 3·9 per cent for those who had been scanned (P<0·0005). Seventy-five per cent (36/48) of Down's syndrome pregnancies were detected for a false-positive rate of 4·0 per cent. Twenty-five out of 36 of detected Down's syndrome pregnancies were dated by scan prior to sampling, and in the 11 remaining cases, the dates were confirmed by scan after a high-risk result was obtained. The exclusion of uE₃ from the screening protocol would have reduced the detection rate to 52 per cent (25/48) for the same false-positive rate. Eighty-five per cent of women identified at high risk accepted the offer of an amniocentesis. Other fetal abnormalities detected were trisomy 18 (3), trisomy 13 (2), 45,X (6), 69,XXX (5), other chromosome abnormalities (9), open neural tube defects (26), hydrocephalus (7), abdominal wall defects (4), and steroid sulphatase deficiency (6).