Prenatal diagnosis for dystrophia myotonica using the polymerase chain reaction

The polymerase chain reaction has been used to detect an abundant class of short repeat DNA families of the form (dC-dA)n.(dG-dT)n, known as microsatellites. These units are found throughout the human genome and have been characterized for several loci including APOC2 on chromosome 19ql2-ql3.2. The locus APOC2 is linked to the gene for dystrophia myotonica and a microsatellite within this locus was used to derive polymorphisms in a family to predict the inheritance of the disease. Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) was performed at 151/2 weeks' gestation. Following DNA extraction from the CVS material and parental blood samples, microsatellite analysis was carried out by the polymerase chain reaction.     

Fetal urinary insulin-like growth factor I and binding protein 3 in bilateral obstructive uropathies

Fetal urinary concentrations of insulin-like growth factor I (UIGF-I) and binding protein 3 (UIGFBP-3) were determined in patients with prenatal diagnosis of bilateral obstructive uropathy. Patients were retrospectively assigned to three groups, on the basis of outcome: group 1, termination of pregnancies (n = 11) with sonographic evidence of severe oligohydramnios or renal dysplasia, confirmed at histological examination; group 2, patients (n = 10) with postnatal plasma creatinine > 50 μmol/1 at the age of 1 year (1 yr-pCreat); and group 3, patients (n = 16) with 1 yr-pCreat ≤ μmol/1. The results show a significant increase in UIGF-I and UIGFBP-3 in groups 1 (18 159 ± 9083 pg/ml; 2657 ± 669 ng/ml) and 2 (1574 ± 847 pg/ml; 176 ± 50 ng/ml) in comparison with group 3 (35 ± 6 pg/ml; 21 ± 2 ng/ml). UIGF-I and UIGFBP-3 were significantly correlated with postnatal plasma creatinine, and were both sensitive (90 per cent; 80 per cent) and specific (88 per cent; 88 per cent) for prediction of elevated 1 yr-pCreat (>50 μmol/1). Fetal urinary IGF-I and IGFBP-3 are increased in severe fetal bilateral obstructive uropathy, possibly reflecting tubular dysfunction or/and increased synthesis consequent upon fetal kidney injury. Their predictive value for postnatal renal function needs further assessment.     

低pH对草鱼血液酸碱平衡的影响

研究了低pH(6.0—4.0)对草鱼血液酸碱平衡、p_(o2)及p_(co2)的影响,结果表明,低pH引起草鱼严重的酸血症.亚致死pH(6.0—5.0)时,血液酸碱平衡的影响主要表现为碱贮备[HCO_3]的丧失,血液pH的明显下降经机体缓冲调节可趋于稳定.致死低pH(4.0)时,血液pN和[HCO_3]下降均非常显著,并在96h内随酸化时间延长而日趋严重.仅在pH≤4.0的酸水中草鱼存在低氧症影响问题.草鱼是一种酸敏感性鱼类,为确保成鱼在天然水体的生存和繁育,水质pH至少应维持在6.0以上.     

辽宁省环境区划方法和分区系统

根据全省自然环境和社会环境结构特征、分异规律、所存在的主要环境问题,依据区内相似性与区间差异性的基本原则,进行了三个层次的三级环境区划。研究各环境区的环境结构、环境特征与环境灾害、环境污染等问题之间的内在联系;揭示生态环境失调与人类生产活动之间的相互关系;探讨各环境区经济发展的环境负荷以及今后发展方向与途径;提出各环境区主要环境问题及其相应的防治、管理对策。     

综合利用“三废”资源

辽阳石油化纤公司在消化、吸收引进技术的同时．结合生产实际，对环境进行综合治理，至点抓了“三废”资源化，能源化和无害化工作，找出了适合本企业综合利用的有效途径，形成了从科研开发到试制生产的综合利用体系，取得了显著的经济效益、环使效益和社会效益。     

GdFeO3上CO氧化的Redox机理动力学

ＧｄＦｅＯ３用柠檬酸络合制备。用ＸＲＤ测定ＧｄＦｅＯ３为钙钛矿结构。用ＣＯ还原脉冲及用Ｏ２再氧化脉冲证实在ＧｄＦｅＯ３上ＣＯ氧化为Ｒｅｄｏｘ机理。用外循环流动无梯度反应顺研究了ＣＯ氧化稳态动力学。用正交设计法估计动力学方程中的参数。还原催化剂再氧化为控制步骤。     

Serum PAPP-A measurements in first-trimester screening for Down syndrome

Serum PAPP-A measurements taken from 254 women in the first trimester are reported. Eleven chromosomal abnormalities were detected. The mean serum PAPP-A levels in cases of Down syndrome were 0.44 MOM at 9 weeks gestation, 0.15 MOM at 10 weeks, and 0.29 MOM at 11 weeks. The PAPP-A level at 10 weeks was below those of pregnancies which aborted spontaneously. At 11 weeks, the pregnancies with Down syndrome recorded the lowest PAPP-A levels at that gestation. On this small sample, offering chorionic villus sampling to women with singleton pregnancies and a PAPP-A level below 0.3 MOM (approximately 6.5 per cent of this at-risk group) would have detected all the Down syndrome fetuses at 10 weeks and 50 per cent at 11 weeks without selecting those cases destined to abort. This suggests that serum PAPP-A should continue to be investigated as a potential first-trimester screening test for Down syndrome.     

Erratum

Naturwissenschaften Aktuell     

Petroleum waste biodegradation with porous biomass support system (PBSS) on rotating biological contactor

A laboratory scale study was conducted to assess the feasibility of the new coupling of rotating biological contactor (RBC) plus porous biomass support system (PBSS) using polyurethane foam as porous support media to biodegrade petroleum refinery wastewater. Polyurethane foam was attached on disks of two four-stage laboratory scale cascade connected RBC units.The two RBC units were operated simultaneously at different but constant, flowrates giving hydraulic loading rates of 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04 m3/m2/d in two runs keeping the same rotational speed 10 r/min throughout. Organic loading was a less controllable factor in this study.For all of the hydraulic loadings, it was found that the removal efficiency of total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) and oil were above 80 percent. Ammonia nitrogen and phenol removal were above 90 and 80 percent respectively. The maximum biomass concentration within polyurethane foam was about 30 g/m2 in the first stage for 0.03 m3/m2/d hydraulic loading.The results show that t