Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for rapid detection of aneuploidy: experience in 911 prenatal cases†

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed with probes specific for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y on 911 of 11123 (8.2%) amniotic fluid samples submitted to the present authors' laboratory for cytogenetic analysis over an 8-year period. Altogether 3516 hybridizations were performed with an interpretable FISH result on all chromosomes requested in 884/911 (97%) of cases. An uninformative FISH result occurred in 44 hybridizations among 27 cases (3%). Of a total of 89 karyotypically proven cases with aneuploidy that might have been detected by FISH, the overall detection rate was 84%. An inconclusive or incomplete FISH result occurred in 9/89 (10%) of these proven aneuploid cases. In the remaining 80 informative proven aneuploid cases, correct detection of aneuploidy was accomplished in 75/80 (94%) of samples. A false-negative result occurred in the remaining 5/80 (6%) of such informative cases. Eighteen cases had karyotypically proven abnormalities that could not have been detected by the targeted FISH. Aside from these 18 cases, FISH allowed correct detection of normal disomy in 785/804 (98%) of such cases. An incomplete FISH result occurred in 18 normal disomic cases. There was a single possible ‘false-positive’ FISH result for chromosome 21. Interphase FISH analysis of uncultured amniotic fluid cells has been shown to be a useful laboratory tool for rapid fetal aneuploidy screening during pregnancy. As with all clinical laboratory diagnostic tests, incomplete or inconclusive results (or even interpretive errors) occur in a small percentage of cases. Nevertheless, FISH results accompanied by other data and by appropriate counseling provide clinicians and patients with valuable information for clinical decision-making surrounding family planning and pregnancy management. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Arsenic availability from chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated wood

Lumber used to construct raised garden beds is often treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA). This project aimed to determine (i) how far As, Cu, and Cr had diffused away from CCA-treated wood surfaces in raised garden beds under realistic conditions, (ii) the uptake of these elements by crops, and (iii) the effect of CCA solution on soil bacteria. This study showed that As, Cu, and Cr diffuse into soil from CCA-treated wood used to construct raised garden beds. To determine crop uptake of these elements, contaminated soil 0 to 2 cm from the treated wood was obtained from two different beds (40-50 mg kg(-1) As); control soil was collected 1.5 m away from the treated wood (<3-10 mg kg(-1) As). Four replicates of carrot (Daucus carota var. sativus Hoffm. cv. Thumbelina), spinach (Spinacia oleracea L. cv. Indian Summer), bush bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Provider), and buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench cv. Common) were grown in pots containing these soils in a greenhouse. After harvest, plant materials were dried, ground, digested, and analyzed for As by inductively coupled plasma-hydride generation (ICP-HG). Concentrations of As in all crops grown in contaminated soils were higher than those from control soils. The levels of As in the crops remained well below the recommended limit for As set by the United States Public Health Service (2.6 mg kg(-1) fresh wt.). To determine if bacteria in soils 0 to 2 cm from the treated wood had higher resistance to Type C chromated copper arsenate (CCA-C) solution than those from reference soils, dilution plates were set up using quarter-strength tryptic soy agar (TSA) media and 0 to 22.94 g L(-1) (0-1.25% v/v) CCA-C working solution. The microorganisms from soils adjacent to treated wood had greater growth on the CCA-amended media than those from reference soils outside the bed.     

Employee reactions to corporate social responsibility: an organizational justice framework

We seek to bridge the macro concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) with micro research in organizational justice. A theoretical model is presented whereby employees' perceptions of CSR impact their subsequent emotions, attitudes, and behaviors, mediated by instrumental, relational, and deontic motives/needs, as well as moderated by organizations' social accounts. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SEDIMENTATION IN LAKE ONALASKA,NAVIGATION POOL 7, UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER,SINCE IMPOUNDMENT1

ABSTRACT: Sediment accumulation was evaluated in Lake Onalaska, a 2800-ha backwater impoundment on the Upper Mississippi River. Computer programs were used to process fathometric charts and generate an extensive data set on water depth for the lake. Comparison of 1983 survey data with pre-impoundment (before 1937) data showed that Lake Onalaska had lost less than 10 percent of its original mean depth in the 46 years since impoundment. Previous estimates of sedimentation rates based on Cesium-137 sediment core analysis appear to have been too high.     

An Ombudsman for Humanitarian Assistance?

The early phases of a project to design and make operational an ombudsman for humanitarian assistance (HAO) are described in this paper. Beginning with a brief historical overview of the ombudsman concept, it then outlines seven key features of a potential HAO that were identified in the initial feasibility study. The main conclusion from the feasibility study was that, in principle, it is possible to design an HAO by adapting the operational frameworks of existing ombudsman schemes so as to match the needs of the humanitarian sector. Although this seems possible in theory, there still remain some major challenges requiring practical testing in a pilot phase. The most fundamental of these is how to enable the beneficiaries of aid to make their voices heard and register their views on the management of the emergency that is affecting them. Important also, are the issues of ensuring an international jurisdiction and finding sustainable ways of financing the scheme. Finally, the paper alludes to the framework of the pilot itself and how to address the main challenges ahead.     

Elevated concentrations of primordial radionuclides in sediments from the Reedy River and surrounding creeks in Simpsonville, South Carolina

A gamma-ray survey and analysis of 16 riverbed samples from the Reedy River watershed near Simpsonville, SC were conducted and compared with national and international studies of primordial radionuclides. The study reported here follows on a recent discovery of anomalously high uranium concentrations in several private well waters in the area. An HPGe spectrometer was used for quantification of gamma emitting radionuclides in the sediments. All sediments contained radionuclides from the uranium and thorium series as well as (40)K. Uranium-238 concentrations in sediment samples ranged from 11.1 to 74.2Bqkg(-1). The measured radionuclide concentrations were compared with data from UNSCEAR and NURE reports. The river and stream sediment data were augmented by in situ NaI(Tl) gamma-ray spectrometer measurements. Comparisons between the ex situ and in situ measurements indicate equivalently distributed uranium in the surface soils and stream sediments, the source of which is likely attributed to the monazite belts that are known to exist in the area.     

Atrazine toxicity to Handroanthus heptaphyllus,a nontarget species from a Brazilian biome threatened by agriculture

The economic basis of the Brazilian midwest is agriculture, concentrating most of the grain production in the country. With the purpose of increasing yield, farmers have intensified land use and the use of atrazine among other pesticides, which can supposedly compromise human health and photosynthetic metabolism of plant species from Cerrado, such as Handroanthus heptaphyllus. The aim of this study was to determine experimentally the sensitivity level of H. heptaphyllus to atrazine, by measuring gas exchange, chlorophyll a fluorescence, chloroplastidic pigments, and membrane permeability. The experiment was conducted in a factorial scheme. Nine‐month‐old H. heptaphyllus plants were treated with six realistic doses of atrazine: 0, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 g a.i. ha^–1 (corresponding to 10, 20, 40, 80, and 100% of the commercial dose recommended for corn crops, respectively), with five replications. Evaluations were performed at 12, 36, 84, 180, and 276 h after treatment application. Photosynthesis, the effective quantum yield of photosystem II, and electron transport rate were gradually reduced by the action of atrazine. On the other hand, the nonphotochemical quenching increased gradually, which indicates that this mechanism was not sufficient to avoid oxidative stress and cellular damage in H. heptaphyllus treated plants. Based on these results, we concluded that the action of the herbicide in the photosynthetic reduction occurs by the electron transport rate limitation. Therefore, H. heptaphyllus trees are at risk in Cerrado areas next to agricultural lands.