Early prenatal diagnosis of an infratentorial arachnoid cyst: Association with an unbalanced translocation

Arachnoid cysts are an uncommon central nervous system malformation, representing only 1 per cent of all intracranial masses. We report the second-trimester prenatal diagnosis of a posterior fossa arachnoid cyst, associated with an unbalanced X;9 translocation.     

Attitudes to prenatal screening,diagnosis and research among pregnant women who accept or decline an alpha-fetoprotein test

The aim of the study was to describe the opinion of pregnant women who had accepted or declined an alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test, not only on AFP screening in general, but also on whether every pregnant woman should be offered amniocentesis (AC)/chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and an ultrasound scan for fetal malformations. An additional aim was to describe pregnant women's attitudes concerning continued research in the prenatal field. The study was performed as a questionnaire study in two regions over a 1-year period from 1 October 1988 to 30 September 1989. Results are based on answers from 3331 women who had taken an AFP test and 336 women who had declined the offer of a test. A total of 79 per cent of the women thought that an AFP test, 70 per cent that an ultrasound scan for fetal malformations, and 26 per cent that AC or CVS should be offered to all pregnant women. Fifty-nine per cent of the women were positive towards continued research in the prenatal field. Women who had had an AFP test were generally much more positive towards screening and research than women who had declined, who were generally against. Women who had left school without a high school degree were on average more positive towards the screening issues than women who had this degree. In conclusion, the results obtained in this study strongly suggest that women's attitudes are very dependent on how the prenatal screening programme is already organized in their local area.     

Flow sorting of fetal erythroblasts using intracytoplasmic anti-fetal haemoglobin: Preliminary observations on maternal samples

Monoclonal antibody to fetal haemoglobin (a₂γy₂) has been proposed as a fetal-specific reagent. We developed an intracellular staining protocol that combines fluorescein isothiocyanate or phycoerythrin conjugated anti-γ with the DNA binding dye Hoechst 33342 to identify and flow sort fetal erythroblasts from maternal blood. Our preliminary observations on anti-γ-positive cells sorted from four different pregnant women are described here, using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with chromosome-specific probes to identify fetal cells. Our data demonstrate that far fewer candidate fetal cells are sorted with this protocol than by current cell surface staining methods that employ the monoclonal antibody CD71. This results in increased fetal cell sorting purities. With this protocol, standard FISH techniques require modification due to the rigorous fixation with 4 per cent paraformaldehyde. Our initial data indicate the promise of this approach.     

Enhanced twin pregnancy detection within an open neural tube defect and down syndrome screening protocol using free-beta hCG and AFP

We have applied our multimarker approach of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and free-beta human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) for Down syndrome screening to multiple gestations to assess its efficacy for improved detection of twin and triplet pregnancies. This study matched 225 cases of twin pregnancy and 39 cases of triplet pregnancy each with ten singleton pregnancies based on gestational week, race, time to receive sample, time of year of sample, and geographical area. The ratios of the MOM for each group at the tenth, 50th, and 90th percentiles were compared by the Wilcoxon test. Risks for twins were calculated using Bayes' rule, the age-related incidence of twins, and the levels of AFP and free-beta hCG. The tenth, 50th, and 90th percentiles of free-beta hCG MOMs in twin and triplet cases were 0.85, 1.99, and 4.51, and 1.38, 2.78, and 4.07, respectively. For AFP, the MOMs at these percentiles were 1.26, 1.91, and 2.99, and 2.02, 2.68, and 5.30, respectively. The twin and triplet distributions for each marker were statistically significantly different from the singleton distributions (P<0.0001) and from each other (P=0.0012). At a twin risk cut-off of 1 in 50, 77.4 per cent of all twin gestations can be detected in a second-trimester AFP and free-beta hCG screening protocol with 5.1 per cent of singleton pregnancies falsely identified as at risk for twins. Our dual marker protocol for mid-trimester pregnancy screening combining AFP and free-beta hCG can identify over 77 per cent of twin pregnancies in women less than 35 years of age. This benefit may contribute to an improved outcome of pregnancy by early detection of multiple gestation.     

Origin of raised maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels in second-trimester oligohydramnios

Concanavalin A (Con A) subtyping of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) revealed higher concentrations of AFP non-reactive with Con A in sera of 12 pregnant women with second-trimester oligohydramnios and raised total serum AFP levels than in sera of 42 pregnant women with raised total serum AFP levels and a normal amniotic fluid volume. This suggests that in oligohydramnios the origin of excess AFP in the maternal compartment is amniotic fluid. It is proposed that oligohydramnios and the associated raised maternal serum AFP levels are caused by damage of the fetal membranes prior to 16 weeks of gestation resulting in leakage of amniotic fluid to the decidual tissue and resorption in the maternal circulation.     

Superovulation fails to increase human blastocyst yield after uterine lavage

Uterine lavage affords the potential for non-invasive human blastocyst recovery, with obvious potential for preimplantation genetic diagnosis. In an effort to duplicate in women the multiple blastocyst recovery per cycle that can be achieved in several other species, we initiated a programme in which fertile women underwent superovulation, followed by lavage and embryo collection. We superovulated 15 fertile women, aged 21–40, in 29 cycles using one of four regimens. Insemination was by either intercourse or artificial intracervical donor insemination with cryopreserved sperm from men of proven fertility. In 28 of 29 cycles, the uterus was lavaged daily for 1, 2, or 3 days between 5 and 10 days after human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration or luteinizing hormone (LH) surge. Almost total fluid volume was recovered in every lavage. There were no retained pregnancies and no complications. Surprisingly, only two morulae, one blastocyst, and four unfertilized ova were recovered. Thus, alterations in ovulation induction, insemination timing, or lavage techniques must be contemplated in order to increase the blastocyst yield and thus fulfil the potential of uterine lavage for preimplantation diagnosis.     

创建绿色社区促进城市可持续发展

本文介绍了绿色社区的概念，阐述了绿色社区与传统社区的区别，以及创建绿色社区的重要意义。并从绿色设计、绿色消费、绿色管理三个方面提出了绿色社区创建的具体内容。     

灰色局势决策模型在生态环境综合整治方案优化中的应用

应用灰色系统理论，将安徽省环境问题归纳为１０类事件，针对这些事件提出 对策，建立灰色局势决策模型，得到了符合安徽省社会、经济、技术及环境条件的优化决策方案。研究表明，灰色局势决策模型原理简单，计算简便，结果可靠，是玫中很实用价值的多方案优化模型。     

全球生活垃圾处置方式及影响因素——基于134个国家数据

近年来，国内外众多学者从不同角度运用不同方法探究城市生活垃圾产生量的影响因素，但鲜见对生活垃圾处置方式的影响因素进行分析研究.本文以世界银行2018年颁布的《what a waste 2.0》中140个国家数据为基础，删掉数据年份较久远以及缺少GDP数据的6个国家，根据欧盟统计局、各国政府环保部门和统计部门网站以及相关年度报告，对所有国家数据逐一排查进行核实，并修正了40余国家生活垃圾处置数据，以134个国家在地理、经济和社会层面的5项指标为研究基础，选用相关性分析和logistic回归分析等研究方法，探究5种生活垃圾处置方式和影响因素之间的规律.主要结论如下：①生活垃圾开放式倾倒、填埋处置与人均国土面积无显著相关性；人均GDP达到2万美元以上的国家，基本实现"零倾倒"，填埋占比也随人均GDP增长逐渐下降；城市化水平与是否采用开放式倾倒呈显著负相关；②人均GDP在2万美元以下或城市化水平在40%以下的国家，基本为"零焚烧"；在不考虑"零焚烧"国家的情形下，焚烧处置主要集中在人均国土面积0~3 hm²的国家；人均GDP和受教育程度的高低是各国是否采用焚烧的主要影响因素；③资源化利用水平与人均国土面积呈负相关，而与人均GDP、城市化水平、受教育程度和废物法律法规体系呈正相关，其中法律法规对其影响力较小；人均GDP达到2万美元以上的国家，资源化利用率基本超过40%；受教育程度同样是影响各国是否采用资源化利用的主要因素；④其它处置方式与五项影响指标均呈现负相关；城市化水平为是否存在其它处置方式的决定因素，城市化水平达到80%以上时，其占比基本为0.     

真空紫外辐照法降解水中丁基黄原酸钾的影响因素及动力学模型

黄原酸盐是常用的有色金属硫化矿浮选剂，进入环境后会造成潜在风险.本文以丁基黄原酸钾（PBX）为目标污染物，在比较真空紫外辐照法（VUV）、曝气（Aeration）、过氧化氢（H₂O₂）氧化和次氯酸钠（NaClO）氧化处理对PBX降解效果的基础上，深入研究反应温度、初始pH值、初始底物浓度及共存离子对效果最优的VUV法降解PBX的影响，探明影响VUV降解PBX的关键因素并建立动力学模型.结果表明，对初始浓度为20 mg·L^-1的PBX进行VUV、NaClO氧化、H₂O₂氧化和曝气处理60 min后，VUV处理效果最优（PBX降解率为97.49%），随后依次为H₂O₂氧化、NaClO氧化和曝气处理.在VUV处理过程中，反应温度和初始pH的升高促进了PBX降解，随着PBX初始浓度增加降解速率常数（k_C）减小.溶液中共存的CO₃^2-、SiO₃^2-促进了PBX降解，Ca²⁺则抑制了PBX降解.反应温度和初始pH值是影响PBX降解的关键因素，基于这两个因素建立了PBX降解的模型方程.从经济有效的角度综合考虑，反应温度35℃、pH=8、合适的阴离子（SiO₃^2-、CO₃^2-）及其浓度有利于促进VUV降解PBX.研究结果为选矿废水有机污染物的处理提供了新思路.