博茨瓦纳欧科范果湿地1972～2000年泛滥方式

欧科范果三角洲地区泛滥范围年年在变化.这种变化与安哥拉高地集水区的区域性降水及当地降雨量有关.我们采用了1972～2000年的3000多幅卫星图像来描绘湿地的格局,其中从1985～2000年的图像几乎是NOAAAVHRR每日连续传送的,1972年以来的其它图像是从Landsat传感器上传下来的,其连续性次之.对AVHRR图像每10天为一期,用无监督分类方法分成陆地和水体.对LandsatTM和ERS2-ATSR数据进行分析的结果,与测算的淹没区域89%相吻合.结果显示欧科范果湿地近期30年期间的变化约在2450～11400km2之间.     

Flavonoid wing pigments increase attractiveness of female common blue (Polyommatus icarus) butterflies to mate-searching males

 Common blue butterflies (Polyommatus icarus) sequester flavonoids from their larval host plants and allocate these UV-absorbing pigments to the wings. In field experiments using dummies constructed from female butterflies, mate-searching males inspected flavonoid-rich dummies more intensively than those with little or no flavonoids. Flavonoid content as signalled by UV-wing pattern may indicate ontogenetically determined female quality or enhance detectability to males. Received: 21 March 2000 / Accepted in revised form: 17 May 2000     

Antenatal diagnosis of a de novo paracentric inversion of chromosome 11

A de novo paracentric inversion of chromosome 11 identified through antenatal diagnosis is described along with long-term follow-up information on the child and discussion of reported experiences with de novo inversions.     

MSAFP levels and oesophageal atresia

This study was undertaken to evaluate the relationship between maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) levels and oesophageal atresia (OA). OA occurred in 16 fetuses of mothers who had an MSAFP test in the study interval. The multiple of the median (MOM) value for MSAFP averaged 1·54 ± 0·65 (range 0·5–2·9 MOM), which was significantly higher than the value seen in controls. The median MOM was 1·35. Using a cut-off of 2·5 MOM, the sensitivity of MSAFP for detecting OA was 19 per cent. Although OA should be considered in the differential diagnosis of an elevated MSAFP level, MSAFP cannot be considered an appropriate screening test for OA given the low sensitivity.     

Determinants of parental decisions to abort for chromosome abnormalities

Parental decisions concerning the continuation of pregnancy following prenatal detection of abnormal chromosomes were evaluated for 80 patients whose diagnosis and prenatal counselling were performed in our centre. Twenty-two anomalies were diagnosed by chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and 58 by amniocentesis. The severity of the chromosome anomaly and associated ultrasound findings in the first vs. second trimester were correlated with patients' decisions. No difference was found in the likelihood of parental decisions to interrupt or continue a pregnancy between CVS and amniocentesis for either the‘severe’ or the‘questionable’ group of chromosome anomalies. Ninety-three per cent of patients with severe prognosis and 27 per cent with questionable prognosis opted for pregnancy termination (p <0·0001). The association of ultrasound anomalies and termination was highly significant (p< 0·001). The severity of the chromosome anomaly, and, to a lesser extent, the visualization of anomalies on ultrasound were the major determinants of parental decisions to terminate the pregnancy. The diagnosis of an anomaly in the first trimester was no more likely ito lead to a termination of pregnancy than in the second trimester.