Serum hCG assay: A method for detection of contamination of fetal blood samples

Serum human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) can be assayed in specimens obtained by percutaneous fetal blood sampling to check for the absence of maternal blood or amniotic fluid contamination. In order to assess the accuracy of this approach, we measured serum hCG in 44 pure fetal blood samples obtained by intracardiac puncture. The mean fetal serum hCG concentration was 52 IU/l, and the ratio of maternal to fetal serum hCG concentration never exceeded 1 · 1 per cent, which represents the smallest contamination rate detectable by this method.     

Significantly higher number of fetal cells in the maternal circulation of women with pre-eclampsia

Although the pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia is unknown, several studies have indicated that abnormal placentation early in pregnancy might play a key role. It has recently been suggested that this abnormal placentation may result in transfusion of fetal cells (feto-maternal transfusion) in women with pre-eclampsia. In the present study, fetal nucleated red blood cells were isolated from 20 women with pre-eclampsia and 20 controls using a very efficient magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) protocol. The number of male cells was determined using two-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for X and Y chromosomes. Significantly more XY cells could be detected in women with pre-eclampsia (0.61±1.2 XY cells/ml blood) compared to women with uncomplicated pregnancies (0.02±0.04 XY cells/ml blood) (Mann–Whitney U-test, p<0.001). These results suggest that fetal cell trafficking is enhanced in women with pre-eclampsia, and this finding may contribute to the understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Heavy metals in maternal and cord blood in Beijing and their efficiency of placental transfer

This study aimed to determine the effect of exposure to heavy metals in pregnant women in Beijing, China. We also evaluated the association of these heavy metals with birth weight and length of newborns. We measured the levels of 10 heavy metals,including lead(Pb), titanium(Ti), manganese(Mn), nickel(Ni), cadmium(Cd), chromium(Cr), antimony(Sb), stannum(Sn), vanadium(V), and arsenic(As), in 156 maternal and cord blood pairs. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry method was used for measurement. Pb, As, Ti, Mn, and Sb showed high detection rates( 50%) in both maternal and cord blood. Fourteen(9%) mothers had blood Pb levels greater than the United States Center for Disease Control allowable threshold limit for children(50 μg/L).In prenatal exposure to these heavy metals, there was no significant association between any heavy metal and birth weight/length. Moreover, we estimated the placental transfer efficiency of each heavy metal, and the median placental transfer efficiency ranged from 49.6%(Ni) to 194%(Mn)(except for Cd and Sn). The level and detection rate of Cd in maternal blood were much higher than that in cord blood, which suggested that Cd had difficulty in passing the placental barrier. Prospective research should focus on the source and risk of heavy metals in non-occupationally exposed pregnant women in Beijing.     

Tumour-associated antigens in maternal and fetal blood

Normal levels of cancer-associated antigen (CA) 19-9, neurone-specific enolase (NSE), cancer-associated antigen (CA) 125, and mucin-like carcinoma-associated antigen (MCA) during pregnancy were determined in 87 mothers and fetuses, using a solid-phase sandwich enzyme immunoassay. CA 19-9 concentrations were higher in the fetuses, whereas the other three tumour-associated antigen levels were higher in the mothers. Only fetal NSE and MCA levels were positively correlated with those in maternal serum. Contrary to adult samples, no difference was demonstrated between male and female fetal levels of CA 125. MCA was the only maternal marker that increased significantly with gestational age between 20 and 34 weeks' pregnancy.     

Fetal blood sampling via the umbilical cord using a needle guided by ultrasound report of 66 cases

Pure fetal blood has been aspirated in utero from the umbilical vein near the placental insertion of the cord using a twenty gauge needle under ultrasound guidance. Sixty-six samples were taken on 63 pregnancies between 17 and 32 weeks of gestation. One to two millilitres of blood can be obtained easily without amniotic fluid dilution or contamination by maternal blood, as confirmed by the measurements of the mean corpuscular volume, the histogram distribution of the red blood cells and the hematocrit. In all cases the Kleihauer test and isoelectrofocusing of the hemoglobins were performed. Coagulation factors were also studied in 60 cases. In 17 cases a medical abortion was voluntarily induced after the procedure, and the follow-up was normal during the observation period after sampling. In the other cases, pregnancies have continued normally and twelve healthy babies have already been born.     

一氧化碳作业人员血脂水平的调查

目地:探讨一氧化碳对作业人员血脂水平的影响.方法:以168例一氧化碳作业人员为观察组及97例非接触工人为对照组,分别检测其血脂水平.结果:发现一氧化碳接触组与对照组的甘油三酯水平有显著性差别(P<0.05),低密度脂蛋白水平也显著高于对照组(P<0.01).结论:一氧化碳对作业人员的血脂水平具有一定影响,尤以对低密度脂蛋白影响最为显著,提示应加强对一氧化碳作业人员的心血管系统的监测.     

Maternal platelet size as a marker for fetal trisomies 18 and 13

Maternal and fetal platelet size and glycoprotein expression were measured in 14 pregnancies complicated by fetal aneuploidy between 20 and 24 weeks' gestation. Flow cytometry was used to determine platelet size and surface glycoprotein Ib (GPIb) and GPIIIa expression both before and after stimulation with adenosine diphosphate (ADP). The data were compared with results obtained from 35 normal paired maternal and fetal controls. In fetuses affected with trisomies 18 and 13, but not trisomy 21, the maternal and fetal platelet sizes were significantly higher than those of the normal controls. Furthermore, the increase in fetal platelet size was significantly associated with the increase in maternal platelet size. Increase in maternal platelet size may be of potential value as a marker for fetal trisomies 18 and 13.     

Blood chemistry of human fetuses in the second and third trimesters

Six biochemical parameters and four enzyme activities were determined from the serum of 76 healthy and 56 pathological human fetuses between the 20th and 38th week of pregnancy. In the normal fetuses studied within that period, creatinine, immunoglobulin M, lactate dehydrogenase, and gamma-glutamyltransferase increased; haemoglobin F and glucose progressively decreased; and alkaline phosphatase was at a peak around the 26th week; cholesterol and triglycerides were always low. The same parameters were also measured in some of the pathological fetuses and compared with their normal counterparts.     

Short communication the natural history of fetal cytomegalovirus infection as assessed by serial ultrasound and fetal blood sampling: A case report

A patient in whom intrauterine fetal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection was diagnosed at approximately 25 weeks' gestation is presented. The fetus was evaluated by serial fetal blood samplings and ultrasound examinations. The fetus manifested evidence of severe thrombocytopenia and hepatic inflammation, with recovery over a period of approximately 8 weeks. The initial sonographic findings of marked fetal ascites and cardiomegaly gradually resolved; ventriculomegaly developed during the third trimester. At delivery, the baby was morphologically normal with the exception of mild ventriculomegaly. Cord blood was negative for CMV IgM but urine was culture-positive for CMV. At age 3, the child has a severe but stable unilateral hearing deficit and is otherwise developmentally normal. This case demonstrates the utility of serial ultrasound and fetal blood sampling in the prenatal diagnosis and management of fetal CMV infection.     

Fetal blood sampling and cytogenetic abnormalities

From September 1984 to April 1991, we performed cytogenetic analysis on fetal blood samples from 214 second-and third-trimester pregnancies. One hundred and thirty-four cases were referred to consider the possibility of chromosomal mosaicism following amniocyte studies. The confirmation rate of mosaicism is at 0 per cent (0/9), 1·4 per cent (1/70), and 40 per cent (22/55) for cases of level I, level II, and level III mosaicism, respectively. Four out of 17 cases were positive for the diagnosis of fragile X syndrome. Of 63 cases with abnormal ultrasound findings, blood disorders, or other genetically related clinical conditions, 11 were found to have a chromosome abnormality. Fetal blood sampling is a valuable adjunct to other methods in the prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal mosaicism or pseudomosaicism. It is also useful when rapid cytogenetic diagnosis is desired because of malformations detected in pregnancies at a late gestational age.     

婴儿脐带血和母亲血中多溴联苯醚的研究

为研究环境污染物多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)在人体的含量,采集了21对婴儿脐带和母亲静脉血样,用气相色谱和质谱法进行测定.结果表明,在所检测的7个PBDEs同系物(BDE-28,-47,-99,-100,-153,-154和-183)中,BDE-47和BDE-153为最主要的同系物.总PBDEs的含量分布于1.5~17ng/g;略高于挪威报道的含量水平,但低于瑞典和德国,远低于美国所报道的水平.      

多氯联苯对鲫鱼血液电解质的影响

研究了水中多氯联苯（ＰＣＢｓ）对鲫鱼血液电解质平衡的影响。结果显示鲫鱼在受到ＰＣＢｓ污染后,血清中电解质的平衡会受到影响。在本实验范围内,Ｎａ＾＋的含量明显高于正常水平,并随试验浓度的增加而逐步升高,同时随暴露时间的增长而升高;Ｋ＾＋含量低于正常值,并随试验浓度的增加而降低,同时随暴露时间的增长而降低;而对于Ｃａ＾２＋、Ｍｇ＾２＋的影响无显著变化规律。     

二硫化碳作业工人高血压影响因素的研究

对80名接触二硫化碳的生产工人及78名对照组人员进行了血压及职业史、受教育背景、吸烟状态、饮酒状况、遗传背景(父、母亲高血压、心脑血管病患病史)、工作及生活中情感状态、饮食习惯等的测定与调查.结果显示,二硫化碳接触组高血压患病率显著性高于对照组高血压患病率(x2=9.56,P＜0.01);对研究人群高血压患病相关因素进行分析表明,接触CS2是引起高血压发生的主要危险因素,其它诸如受教育程度、压力感、遗传、吸烟、饮酒、食用水果等也与高血压的患病存在一定程度的相关.进一步对接触组研究对象进行高血压患病相关因素进行多因素分析表明,在接触组中,工作或生活中有压力感是高血压发生的一个危险因素,而每天食用水果则是高血压发生的抑制因素(保护性因子).研究结果提示,较长时间接触二硫化碳是导致血压升高的独立危险因素,工作及生活中情感状态、饮食习惯等是二硫化碳是导致高血压的重要影响因子.     

屠宰废水变性及絮凝处理

针对屠宰废水中的血水难以絮凝处理的问题，首先对其进行了适当的变性处理，然后将各段废水集中进行了絮凝处理研究，考察了多种絮凝剂和处理效果。结果表明，屠宰废水经过变性预处理后采用硫酸亚铁和氧化钙复合絮凝剂处理后，可得到理想的处理结果，出水ＣＯＤ可达１８７．４ｍｇ／Ｌ，色度值为７５度。此方法简便、高效、有很好的环境和经济效益。     

沈阳市土壤铅对儿童血铅的影响

研究了沈阳市土壤铅和儿童血铅的动态关系,鉴于今后土壤是儿童最重要的铅暴露源,通过土壤铅预测儿童血铅,并计算当土壤铅含量削减到土壤质量二级标准时,儿童血铅恢复到安全阈值(10μg·dL^-1需要的时间,从而为土壤修复提供理论依据.研究表明,土壤铅和儿童血铅的相关系数在地理区水平上最高,为0.9200,地理区客观地代表了儿童铅暴露的真实范围.西部工业区有约90%的儿童血铅水平都高于安全阈值;东部儿童血铅水平最低,几乎没有超标现象;其它地理区儿童血铅的超标范围在3.48%～31.81%.西部工业区儿童血铅恢复到安全阈值以下所需的时间最长,平均为26.68月,其次为北部、东北部、西南部、西北部和中部,东部儿童已在安全水平.无论各地理区儿童血铅水平,还是平均恢复时间和最长恢复时间都受土壤铅含量控制.     

Longitudinal assessment of blood flow velocity waveforms in the healthy human fetus

A longitudinal study was carried out on 30 healthy fetuses in order to assess the modifications of fetal blood flow throughout pregnancy. The pulsatility index was evaluated at two-week intervals by means of pulsed Doppler equipment. In the umbilical artery measurements were performed from 20 weeks onwards, whereas in the descending aorta and internal carotid artery analysis started from 26 weeks onwards. A decrease of the pulsatility index in umbilical artery and in the ratio between the pulsatility indexes in umbilical artery and internal carotid artery was found over the second half of pregnancy.     

The time of appearance and disappearance of fetal DNA from the maternal circulation

A single copy Y-chromosome DNA sequence was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from the peripheral blood of 30 women who had achieved a pregnancy through an in vitro fertilization (IVF) programme. The time of conception was known precisely and was confirmed by serial ultrasound scans. Conceptions were dated as the number of weeks after fertilization plus 2, to give a time equivalent to the obstetric menstrual dating of the pregnancy (LMP). Y-chromosome-specific DNA was detected in all pregnancies with a male fetus (18/30). The earliest detection was at 4 weeks and 5 days, and the latest at 7 weeks and 1 day. Y-chromosome-specific sequences were no longer detected in any of the male pregnancies 8 weeks after delivery. No Y-chromosome sequences were detected in any of the pregnancies where only female babies were delivered. This demonstrates that fetal DNA appears in the maternal circulation early in the first trimester, that it can be identified in all pregnancies tested by 7 weeks, that it continues to be present throughout pregnancy, and that it has been cleared from the maternal circulation 2 months after parturition. Early non-invasive prenatal diagnosis for aneuploidies and inherited disorders will be possible in all pregnancies if fetal cells can be isolated free from maternal contamination (or identified accurately in the presence of maternal cells) without problems of contamination from previous pregnancies.     

Cardiac flow after fetal blood sampling in normally grown and growth-retarded fetuses

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of fetal blood sampling on cardiac flow velocity waveforms. Flow velocity waveforms were measured from the ascending aorta and pulmonary artery immediately before and after fetal blood sampling in 29 normally grown and 12 growth-retarded fetuses. The latter group was characterized by abnormal Doppler indices in the umbilical artery and middle cerebral artery suggestive of uteroplacental insufficiency as the causative factor of the impaired growth. The flow velocity parameters studied were the peak velocity, the time to peak velocity, and the left and right cardiac output and their ratio. In normally grown fetuses, the peak velocity and right and left cardiac output values increased significantly after fetal blood sampling, while no significant changes were observed in the other indices considered. The gestational age at the time of the procedure was positively related to the amplitude of these changes. In growth-retarded fetuses, fetal blood sampling did not induce any significant increase in cardiac output or peak velocities, while in more than 50 per cent of the fetuses these Doppler indices decreased. The amplitude of the decrease was significantly related to the severity of acidosis in the umbilical vein. In conclusion, the cardiac haemodynamic response to fetal blood sampling differs between normally grown and growth-retarded fetuses. This difference may explain the higher rate of complications occurring in the latter group of fetuses after blood sampling.     

废旧干电池对泥鳅的致毒作用

以抗污染能力强的泥鳅(Misgurnus anguillicadatus)为实验材料,研究了废旧干电池污染的水源对水生生物的毒害作用。结果表明,泥鳅受毒害程度与水体中废旧干电池的数量和暴露时间成正相关关系;对受毒害但未死亡的个体断尾取血,显微镜下观察血红细胞的形态、结构,发现在废旧干电池污染的水体中残存的个体,其血红细胞的变异率远远超过生活在正常水体中的个体。