Prenatal sonographic diagnosis of intracranial haemorrhage: Report of a case with a sinusoidal fetal heart rate tracing,and review of the literature

The sinusoidal fetal heart rate pattern has been described in association with severe fetal anaemia, with fetal hypoxaemia, and with the administration of parenteral narcotics. Here, we report a case of decreased fetal movement in which a sinusoidal tracing was recorded. The sonographic diagnosis of a massive fetal intracranial haemorrhage was made. A non-interventive approach was taken and the fetus died soon after in utero. We review 28 previous cases in which the prenatal sonographic diagnosis of fetal intracranial haemorrhage was made, including the underlying maternal and fetal factors and neonatal outcomes. We propose that the sinusoidal tracing in this case was due to the intracranial bleed and suggest that fetal intracranial haemorrhage be considered in the sonographic evaluation of the fetus with a sinusoidal pattern.     

Detection of fetal HLA-DQα sequences in maternal blood: A gender-independent technique of fetal cell identification

The objective of this study was to detect fetal HLA-DQα gene sequences in maternal blood. HLA-DQα genotypes of 70 pregnant women and their partners were determined for type A1. We specifically sought couples where the father, but not the mother, had genotype A1. In 12 women, maternal blood samples were flow-sorted. Candidate fetal cells were isolated and amplified by using PCR primers specific for a paternal HLA-DQα A1 allele. Fetal HLA-DQα A1 genotype was predicted from sorted cells; amniocytes or cheek swabs were used for confirmation. Six of twelve sorted samples had amplification products indicating the presence of the HLA-DQα A1 allele; 6/12 did not. Prediction of the fetal genotype was 100 per cent correct, as determined by subsequent amplification of amniocytes or cheek swabs. We conclude that paternally inherited uniquely fetal HLA-DQα gene sequences can be identified in maternal blood. This system permits the identification of fetal cells independent of fetal gender, and has the potential for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of paternally inherited conditions.     

Prenatal diagnosis of mosaic 4p – in a fetus with trisomy 21

Mosaicism for the Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, del(4)(p16), is extremely rare and has not been reported in association with a numerical chromosome abnormality. We report the prenatal diagnosis of mosaic del(4)(p16) and non-mosaic trisomy 21 in a 16-week female fetus. The pregnancy ended in spontaneous abortion at 34 weeks secondary to fetal demise. The fetus had features of both 4p – and trisomy 21.     

蒙脱土原位生长MoS2复合材料光催化降解罗丹明B的机理研究

通过在Na⁺-MMT表面生长MoS₂来提高窄带隙半导体光生电子分离速率及稳定性.利用阳离子填充法及水热法成功制备了复合光催化剂Na⁺-MMT/MoS₂,并通过FT-IR、SEM、TEM、Raman、XRD、TG、XPS、UV-DRS和ESR等表征进一步证明了材料的成功负载及光、电化学性能. 同时,以有机染料罗丹明B为待降解染料来评价光催化剂的催化性能,发现其在80 min可有效降解罗丹明B,降解率达96%.经过5次循环使用后,Na⁺-MMT/MoS₂复合光催化剂仍具有较好的光催化性能.因此,利用MMT的表面电负性及稳定的片层结构负载MoS₂,可形成光生电子迁移通道进一步提高电荷迁移速率及光催化剂的稳定性.本研究可为黏土材料调控窄带隙半导体制备环境友好型光催化剂提供新思路.     

Is there a role for fetal interventions in gastroschisis management? – An updated comprehensive review

We conducted a comprehensive evidence-based review on the epidemiology and current standard of care of gastroschisis management as well as the pathophysiology, rationale and feasibility of fetal therapy as a viable alternative. Gastroschisis is a periumbilical abdominal wall defect characterized by abdominal viscera herniation in utero. It affects 4 in 10 000 live births, but the prevalence has steadily increased in recent years. Gastroschisis is typically diagnosed on routine second-trimester ultrasound. The overall prognosis is favorable, but complex gastroschisis, which accounts for about 10% to 15% of cases, is associated with a higher mortality, significant disease burden and higher healthcare costs due to long- and short-term complications. The current standard of care has yet to be established but generally involves continued fetal surveillance and multidisciplinary perinatal care. Postnatal surgical repair is achieved with primary closure, staged silo closure or sutureless repair. Experimental animal studies have demonstrated the feasibility of in utero closure, antiinflammatory therapy and prenatal regenerative therapy. However, reports of early preterm delivery and amnioinfusion trials have failed to show any benefit in humans. Further experimental studies and human trials are necessary to demonstrate the potential benefit of fetal therapy in gastroschisis.     

Use of coatings to minimise acid emissions during ceramic tile firing

The manufacture of traditional ceramic products (ceramic tiles, roof tiles, and bricks) is often associated with the emission of F, Cl, and S compounds during the firing stage. According to the literature, fluorine emissions can be reduced by adding CaCO₃ to the raw materials mixture used in fabricating these products. However, data available to the authors indicate that this procedure, which has been successfully applied in manufacturing structural ceramics (roof tiles and bricks), is ineffective in ceramic tile manufacture and modifies tile end properties.This paper examines the possibility of reducing such emissions by applying coatings of alkaline-earth carbonates on to the ceramic tile bottom surface to retain the acid compounds emitted during tile firing. The effectiveness of MgCO₃, CaCO₃, SrCO₃, and BaCO₃ coatings for retaining these acid emissions was studied, using the evolved gas analysis (EGA) technique with a TG-DSC-FTIR-QM instrument.The SrCO₃ coating was found to provide the greatest retention, showing that SO₂ and HCl were retained more efficiently than HF. The presence of fluorides, chlorides, and sulphates of Ca, Sr, and Ba was verified in the respective fired coatings, confirming the existence of chemical reactions between the emitted acid compounds and the coating materials at high temperature.     

A Bayesian assessment of the effect of highway bypasses in Iowa on crashes and crash rate

Introduction

A common contention is that the construction of highway bypasses negatively impacts the economy of local communities by reducing pass-by traffic for businesses. However, as access to specific business' account records is limited, this impact is difficult to quantify. Another common contention is that bypasses contribute to a reduction in overall crashes in the community and in the surrounding areas. Even though a large number of bypasses have been constructed in the State of Iowa over the past several years, their actual impact in terms of traffic safety has not been quantified.

Objectives

This study seeks answers to the following questions: (a) Are bypasses in Iowa associated with a reduction in crash frequencies and crash rates on the bypassed highway? (b) Do bypasses in Iowa introduce a reduction of overall crash frequencies and rates or do they merely shift crashes from the highways through the communities to the bypasses with no significant overall reduction?

Method

We obtained crash information from the Iowa DOT at 19 sites on which a bypass was constructed sometime during the past 23 years. We also obtained the same information at six sites used as comparison sites on which no bypasses were constructed at least until 2005. We them employed a Bayesian approach to estimating the association between the construction of the bypass and crash rates, while also accounting for other factors.

Results

The construction of bypasses in Iowa is associated with a significant increase in traffic safety both on the main road through town and on the combined main road and bypass roadway.     

The impact of the BP Baker report

Introduction

This study examined the impact of the British Petroleum (BP) Baker Panel Report, reviewing the March 2005 BP-Texas City explosion, on the field of process safety.

Method

Three hundred eighty-four subscribers of a process safety listserv responded to a survey two years after the BP Baker Report was published.

Results

Results revealed respondents in the field of process safety are familiar with the BP Baker Report, feel it is important to the future safety of chemical processing, and believe that the findings are generalizable to other plants beyond BP-Texas City. Respondents indicated that few organizations have administered the publicly available BP Process Safety Culture Survey. Our results also showed that perceptions of contractors varied depending on whether respondents were part of processing organizations (internal perspective) or government or consulting agencies (external perspective).

Conclusions

This research provides some insight into the beliefs of chemical processing personnel regarding the transportability and generalizability of lessons learned from one organization to another.

Impact on Industry

This study has implications for both organizational scientists and engineers in that it reveals perceptions about the primary mechanism used to share lessons learned within one industry about one major catastrophe (i.e., investigation reports). This study provides preliminary information about the perceived impact of a report such as this one.