Cell-free fetal DNA coming in all sizes and shapes

Cell-free fetal DNA analysis has an established role in prenatal assessments. It serves as a source of fetal genetic material that is accessible non-invasively from maternal blood. Through the years, evidence has accumulated to show that cell-free fetal DNA molecules are derived from placental tissues, are mainly of short DNA fragments and have rapid post-delivery clearance profiles. But questions regarding how they come to being short molecules from placental cells and in which physical forms do they exist remained largely unanswered until recently. We now know that the distributions of ending sites of cell-free DNA molecules are non-random across the genome and bear correlations with the chromatin structures of cells from which they have originated. Such an insight offers ways to deduce the tissue-of-origin of these molecules. Besides, the physical nature and sequence characteristics of the ends of each cell-free DNA molecule provide tell-tale signs of how the DNA fragmentation processes are orchestrated by nuclease enzymes. These realizations offered opportunities to develop methods for enriching cell-free fetal DNA to facilitate non-invasive prenatal diagnostics. Here we aimed to collate what is known about the biological and physical characteristics of cell-free fetal DNA into one article and explain the implications of these observations.     

Airborne particle sizes and sources found in indoor air

As concern about indoor air quality (IAQ) has grown in recent years, understanding indoor aerosols has become increasingly important so that control techniques may be implemented to reduce damaging health effects and soiling problems. This paper begins with a brief look at the mechanics of deposition in the lungs and the aerosol dynamics that influence particles at all times. This discussion shows that the particle diameters must be known to predict dose or soiling and to determine efficient mitigation techniques. The particle sizes produced by the various indoor sources, as well as unusual aspects of each type of source, must be known so that this process may begin.This paper summarizes the results of a literature search into the sources, sizes and concentrations of indoor particles. There are several types of indoor particles: plant and animal bioaerosols and mineral, combustion and home/personal care aerosols. These types may be produced indoors or outdoors, entering through building openings. The sources may be short term, seasonal or continuous. Particle sizes produced vary from submicrometer to larger than 10 μm. The particles may be toxic or allergenic. This information is presented in a summary table and is discussed in the text.     

Chemical composition differences in fog and cloud droplets of different sizes

The distribution of acidity and solute concentration among the various droplet sizes in a fog or cloud and the effect of the evaporation-condensation cycle on the composition and size distribution of atmospheric aerosol is studied. Significant total solute concentration differences can occur in aqueous droplets inside a fog or cloud. For the fog simulated here, during the period of dense fog, the solute concentration in droplets larger than 10 μm diameter increased with size, in such a way that droplets of diameter 20 μm attain a solute concentration that is a factor of 3.6 larger than that in the 10 μm droplets. Droplets on which most of the liquid water condenses have access to most of the reacting medium for in situ S(IV) oxidation and are therefore preferentially enriched in sulfate. The gas and aqueous-phase chemical processes result in an increase of the total solute mass concentration nonuniform over the droplet spectrum for a mature fog. These chemical processes tend to decrease the total solute mass concentration differences among the various droplet sizes. Low cooling rates of the system also tend to decrease these concentration differences while high cooling rates have exactly the opposite effect. The mass/size distribution of the condensation nuclie influences quantitatively, but not qualitatively, the above concentration differences.     

Prenatal diagnosis of molybdenum cofactor deficiency and isolated sulfite oxidase deficiency

Molybdenum cofactor deficiency and isolated sulfite oxidase deficiency are autosomal recessive inborn errors of metabolism with severe neurological symptoms resulting from a lack of sulfite oxidase activity. The deficiencies can be diagnosed prenatally by monitoring sulfite oxidase activity in chorionic villus sampling (CVS) tissue. In those families in which the specific defects have been identified, diagnosis can be achieved by mutation analysis or linkage studies directed at affected genes. These include MOCS1, MOCS2 or GEPH, in cases of molybdenum cofactor deficiency, or SUOX in patients with isolated sulfite oxidase deficiency. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of proteins, polysaccharides, and particle sizes on sludge dewaterability

Four batch experiments of hydrolysis and acidification were carried out to investigate the distributions of proteins (PN) and polysaccharides (PS) in the sludge, the PN/PS ratio, the particle sizes, and their relationship with sludge dewaterability (as determined by capillary suction time, CST). The sludge flocs were stratified through centrifugation- and ultrasound-based method into four fractions: (1) slime, (2) loosely bound extracellular polymeric substances (LB-EPS), (3) tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS), and (4) pellet. The results showed that PN was mainly partitioned in the pellet (80.7%) and TB-EPS (9.6%) fractions, while PS distributed evenly in the four fractions. During hydrolysis and acidification, PN was transferred from the pellet and TB-EPS fractions to the slime fraction, but PS had no significant transfer trends. The mean particle sizes of the sludge flocs decreased with hydrolysis and acidification. The pH had a more significant influence on the dewaterability of sludge flocs than temperature. Sludge dewaterability during hydrolysis and acidification processes greatly deteriorated from 9.7 s at raw sludge to 340–450 s under alkaline conditions. However, it was just slightly increased under acidic conditions. Further investigation suggested that CST was a ected by soluble PN, soluble PN/PS, and particle sizes of sludge flocs, but was a ected slightly by total PN, PS, or PN/PS in the whole sludge flocs and other fractions (except slime).     

沙土不同粒径微团聚体对磷的富集特征

流失的水土是污染物的重要载体,为估算沙土吸附态磷流失量,采用平衡吸附法研究了沙土不同粒径微团聚体对磷的富集特征.结果表明,不同粒径微团聚体对磷的富集系数为:黏粒(3.79)＞粉粒(2.98),沙土中微团聚体对磷的富集作用比较强,其原因有三:细粒级微团聚体中腐殖质含量显著高于粗粒级;细粒级微团聚体中有机质是通过可溶有机质与黏土矿物相互结合形成复合体而富集,在复合体结构中存在孔隙填充方式磷吸附;粘粒和粉粒中的铁铝键有机矿质复合体所占比例显著高于其它粒级,在对磷吸附中发挥重要作用,其吸附机制除孔隙填充方式外,还存在铁铝氧化物及水化氧化物对磷的配位吸附.不同粒径团聚体对磷的吸附分配系数和富集系数均与腐殖质总量呈显著正相关(p＜ 0.01,r分别为0.854和0.954);西辽河流域沙土在暴雨径流中黏粒级和粉粒级冲泻质泥沙所携载的吸附态磷质量分数可分别按1269.15 mg·kg-1和997.53 mg·kg-1估算,黏粒和粉粒级微团聚体对磷的富集系数(Er)可分别按3.79和2.98计算.     

西辽河不同粒级沉积物对磷的吸附特征

采用平衡吸附法研究了西辽河不同粒级沉积物对磷的吸附特征.结果表明,不同粒级沉积物对磷的吸附特征圴符合Langmuir吸附等温式和Freundlich吸附等温式;黏粒级和粉粒级的磷饱和吸附量较大,分别为3791.12,2323.33mg/kg,分别相当于粗砂的6.68和4.09倍;黏粒级和粉粒级沉积物吸附的磷是磷素循环的重要组成部分,西辽河冲泻质泥沙黏粒和粉粒所携载的吸附态磷的理论入海通量分别为3791.12,2323.33mg/kg冲泻质泥沙.占沉积物磷吸附总量的28.30%.沉积物对磷的比表面积标化吸附分配系数与松结态腐殖质相关性最大,比表面积标化饱和吸附量与稳结态腐殖质相关性最大,在稳结态和紧结态腐殖质所形成的团聚体结构沉积物中存在孔隙填充方式的磷吸附.     

气泡直径对气-液-污泥流态及污泥颗粒化的影响

通过建立三维Eulerian-Eulerian模型,用计算流体动力学模拟了鼓泡好氧活性污泥反应器中,不同气泡直径下气-液-污泥三相流的流态,分析了反应器内的流体动力学特性,并研究了其对污泥颗粒化的影响机理.结果表明:曝气头表面的孔径大小与反应器中气含率负相关,而与污泥所受的水力剪切速率正相关.气相、液相速度与曝气头的孔径和表观气速正相关.反应器中的流态由尺度较大的环流和尺度较小的旋涡构成.随着表观气速和入口气泡直径的增加,液相和颗粒的流态均由尺度较大的环流转变为尺度较小的旋涡.相同曝气孔径时,液相与颗粒的流态之间存在差异,且气泡直径越小,表观气速越大,两者的差异越明显.为满足好氧污泥颗粒化所需的凝聚条件,反应器中曝气头孔径应大于1mm.     

Effects of nicotinamide and riboflavin on the biodesulfurization activity of dibenzothiophene by Rhodococcus erythropolis USTB-03

Rhodococcus erythropolis USTB-03 is a promising bacterial strain for the biodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene (DBT) via a sulfurspecific pathway in which DBT is converted to 2-hydroxybiphenyl (2HBP) as an end product. The effects of nicotinamide and riboflavin on the sulfur specific activity (SA) of DBT biodesulfurization by R. erythropolis USTB-03 were investigated. Both nicotinamide and riboflavin were found to enhance the expression of SA, which was not previously reported. When R. erythropolis USTB-03 was grown on a medium containing nicotinamide of 10. 0 mmol or riboflavin of 50. 0 μnol, SA was raised from 68. 0 or so to more than 130 mmol 2HBP/(kg dry cells. h). When R. erythropolis USTB-03 was grown in the presence of both nicotinamide of 5. 0 mmol and riboflavin of 25. 0 μmol, SA was further increased to 159. 0 mmol 2HBP/(kg dry cells. h). It is suggested that the biological synthesis of reduced form of flavin mononucleotide (FMNH2), an essential coenzyme for the activities of biodesulfurization enzyme Dsz C and A, might be enhanced by nicotinamide and riboflavin, which was responsible for the increased SA of R. erythropolis USTB-03.     

伊犁盆地昭苏黄土不同粒径和相态稀土元素特征及其物源指示意义

为了探讨伊犁盆地风成沉积物质来源特征,对伊犁地区昭苏黄土剖面代表性样品各个 粒级全岩、酸溶组分和残渣组分中的稀土元素进行了分析。结果表明,各个粒级组分全岩样品 的稀土总量（ΣREE）的变化范围为114.61~178.37 μg·g?1,剖面中各个粒级组分稀土球粒陨石标 准化配分模式呈轻稀土富集,存在明显的Eu 负异常,Ce 无明显异常。各个粒级组分酸溶残渣 稀土特征与上述全岩特征类似。酸溶组分稀土的上部大陆地壳标准化呈现稳定的中稀土富集。 随着各组分粒级变粗,酸溶组分稀土占全岩比例呈现先降低后升高的趋势,即从<2 μm 组分到 16 ~32 μm 组分比例渐次降低,而后从16 ~32 μm 组分到>63 μm 渐次升高,这主要反映了以西风 为代表的远源输送体系和以近地面风为代表的近源输送体系下两种来源的碎屑碳酸盐稀土的混 合。本文不同粒径和赋存形态下稀土元素的特征表明了利用风成沉积物稀土元素反映源区物质 特征存在一定复杂性。     

不同粒径污泥生物质炭对水体中Zn污染的吸附效应研究

为了探究3种不同粒径的污泥生物质炭(S1:大粒径 0.165 mm;S2:中粒径为0.025～0.165 mm;S3:小粒径0.025 mm)对Zn的吸附效率和固化稳定的机理,以此为污泥生物质炭在水污染控制方面的应用提供科学依据.利用实验室模拟法,研究不同反应时间、溶液初始pH和重金属浓度对生物炭吸附效果的影响,并运用四步萃取法分析生物炭上Zn的吸附形态.结果表明:①生物炭在4 h左右达到吸附平衡,吸附率呈先增加后平缓的趋势,最终吸附量S1S2S3;②溶液初始浓度为0～2 mmol·L~(-1)时Zn~(2+)的吸附量呈线性增长趋势,但随溶液浓度超过2 mmol·L~(-1)时吸附量开始趋于饱和;③3种不同粒径生物炭的水溶性组分Zn分别占总萃取量的1.70%、5.02%和7.47%,可交换态组分分别占25.27%、32.35%和27.29%,酸溶性组分分别占35.06%、38.63%和27.90%,非生物利用组分分别占37.97%、24.00%和37.34%.④污泥生物质炭的动力学吸附特征更符合准二级动力学吸附模型,单位质量的污泥生物质炭粒径越小吸附量越大;⑤污泥生物质炭的等温吸附特征更符合Langmuir模型,小粒径的生物质炭最大吸附量最优;⑥在酸性条件下随着pH的上升污泥生物质炭的吸附率在逐渐增加,碱性条件下吸附率的增加可能是形成锌的络合物沉淀导致的;⑦Zn的吸附形态以酸溶性和非生物利用态为主,水溶性占比较小.污泥生物质炭对Zn的吸附以化学吸附为主,S1吸附的Zn酸溶性组分和非生物利用组分占比最大,吸附效果较为稳定.     

沙土不同粒级微团聚体可解吸态磷释放通量

流失的水土是污染物的重要载体,为了估算随水土流失的沙土中可解吸态磷对上覆水体的影响,采用平衡解吸法研究了沙土不同粒级微团聚体可解吸态磷的释放通量.结果表明,不同粒级沙土微团体吸附态磷的解吸比例为黏粒(0.21)＜粉粒(0.29)＜细砂(0.60)＜粗砂(0.96).主要原因有二:细粒级中腐殖质含量显著高于粗粒级;细粒级中有机质是通过可溶有机质与黏土矿物相互结合形成复合体而富集(黏粒和粉粒级微团聚体的稳结态腐殖质所占比例显著高于其它粒级).磷在稳结态和紧结态腐殖质所形成的团聚体结构中引起的团聚体结构不可逆形变是导致黏粒级(解吸比例Dr =0.21,解吸迟滞性指数TⅡ=0.47)和粉粒级(Dr=0.29,TⅡ=0.45)微团聚体磷的解吸比例降低,解吸迟滞性指数增大的根本原因.沙土黏粒和粉粒级微团聚体携载的可解吸态磷对上覆水体的释放通量可分别按(99.52±3.54) mg·kg-和(72.48±2.62) mg·kg-1进行估算.     

天津市大气颗粒物中有机标识物粒径分布的季节特征

为探讨采暖季和非采暖季大气颗粒物中有机标识组分的粒径分布特征,识别其来源,于2018年5月至2019年4月在天津采集分粒径颗粒物,利用GC-MS对9个粒径段颗粒物中17种多环芳烃(PAHs)、20种正构烷烃(n-Alkanes)和7种藿烷(hopanes)进行分析,并通过有机标识物及特征比值的方法探讨其主要来源.结果表明:非采暖季的四环多环芳烃Pyr、Ba A、Chr和五环多环芳烃BbF、Ba P呈3峰分布,其余PAHs呈双峰分布,采暖季的低环PAHs呈双峰分布,中高环PAHs近似单峰分布.根据PAHs特征比值发现,非采暖季的燃煤源和交通源是PAHs的主要贡献源,采暖季PAHs受燃煤源的影响更显著.非采暖季的正构烷烃中C29呈单峰分布,C27、C31、C32和C33近似单峰分布,其余正构烷烃呈双峰分布,采暖季的正构烷烃均呈双峰分布.根据正构烷烃碳优势指数(CPI)和主碳峰数(C_max)发现,人为源是正构烷烃的主要来源,非采暖季受自然源的影响大于采暖季,自然源排放的正构烷烃倾向于富集在粗颗粒物上,人为源排放的正构烷烃则更倾向于富集在细颗粒物上.藿烷在粗粒径段和细粒径...