Prenatal screening and diagnosis of neural tube defects in England and Wales in 1985

A survey was carried out to determine the effect of prenatal screening and therapeutic abortion on births in 1985 with anencephaly and spina bifida in England and Wales. Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein tests were done on 399 288 women (60 per cent of pregnant women): 4 per cent were reported as being screen-positive and 1 per cent had an amniocentesis. An estimated 534 pregnancies associated with anencephaly were terminated and an estimated 445 pregnancies associated with spina bifida (but without anencephaly) were terminated. Most (63 per cent) of the anencephalic pregnancies were first suspected from an ultrasound examination; 57 per cent of the spina bifida pregnancies were first suspected from a positive maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein test, 35 per cent by ultrasound, and the remaining 8 per cent by other means. The birth prevalence of anencephaly declined by 94 per cent between 1964–1972 and 1985, but when the terminations of pregnancy on account of having a fetus with anencephaly are added to the births the decline in prevalence was only 50 per cent. The birth prevalence of spina bifida declined by 68 per cent over the same period but when the terminations were added to the births the decline in prevalence was only 32 per cent. Among births with anencephaly 66 per cent had had no screening or diagnostic tests in early pregnancy, but in those that did nearly all were positive–usually in twin pregnancies where one fetus was affected but not the other. Among births with spina bifida, 48 per cent had no tests and in those that did the results were mainly negative. We conclude that in order to monitor adequately the national screening programme for anencephaly and spina bifida a special neural tube defects register should be formed.     

S-100 protein and neuron-specific enolase in amniotic fluid as markers of abdominal wall and neural tube defects in the fetus

The aim of this study was to determine whether there is increased leakage of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S-100 protein into amniotic fluid in pregnancies with neural tube defects, since both these proteins are produced by neural tissue, and to compare the value of these substances for detecting such defects with that of the more conventional techniques of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) gel electrophoresis. Amniotic samples from 25 mid-pregnancies (15–17 weeks' gestation) with neural tube defects (14 with open spina bifida and 11 with anencephaly) and from seven mid-pregnancies with abdominal wall defects were compared with a control material consisting of 80 amniotic fluid samples from 80 consecutive mid-pregnancy amniocenteses, with normal karyotypes and AFP concentrations. All of the above cases of abnormalities were primarily detected through increased AFP levels in the amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid samples from 13 pregnancies with fetuses with autosomal chromosomal abnormalities and seven amniotic fluid samples contaminated with blood were also included in the investigation. It is concluded from the results that the conventional AFP assay combined with AChE gel electrophoresis is the best method for screening amniotic fluid for neural tube defects and defects of the abdominal wall. Neither NSE nor S-100 assay alone proved to be superior for the detection of these cases in mid-trimester amniotic fluid. The S-100 assay, however, could give additional information in cases where AChE gel electrophoresis is not decisive; for example, in samples contaminated with blood.     

青岛市建设循环型经济社会的探讨

以青岛市为例,通过对传统型经济社会发展所面临环境问题的对比分析,阐述了发展循环经济、建设循环型经济社会对我国经济社会可持续发展的重要意义。指出为了实现2008年“绿色奥运”和生态型城市的建设目标,在青岛市发展循环经济,建立循环型经济社会的可能性和必要性。提出了青岛市发展循环经济、建设循环型经济社会的实施对策。     

Optimizing the atmospheric sampling sites using fuzzy mathematic methods

A new approach applying fuzzy mathematic theorems, including the Primary Matrix Element Theorem and the Fisher Classification Method, was established to solve the optimization problem of atmospheric environmental sampling sites. According to its basis, an application in the optimization of sampling sites in the atmospheric environmental monitoring was discussed. The method was proven to be suitable and effective. The results were admitted and applied by the Environmental Protection Bureau (EPB) of many cities of China. A set of computer software of this approach was also comuletelv comniled and used.     

Profitability of intensification technologies among smallholder maize farmers in the forest-savanna transition zone of Nigeria

Sustaining the productive capacity of the land resource under the existing land-use system and increasing population pressure requires the use of appropriate technologies that will enhance farm productivity and income levels.This paper examines the effect on farm profitability of smallholder maize farmers’ use of intensification technologies in tropical agriculture. The survey was conducted in southwest Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 300 respondents from two major agroclimatic zones in Osun State. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire and complemented with focus group discussions (FGDs), while the State’s Ministry of Agriculture provided secondary data.Pressure on land was found high because farmland was continuously cropped for an average of 10 years with a mean fallow period of 2 years only. Technologies used to intensify agriculture included inorganic fertilizer, organic manure, alley cropping, and tree planting.Results from costs and returns analysis showed that average net returns to inorganic fertilizer use ranked highest in the two zones, while tree planting ranked lowest. There was a significant ecoregional difference on the average net returns/year earned by users of mineral fertilizer. While organic manure use earned higher net returns than alley cropping practice in the rain forest, the reverse was the case for the derived savanna. FGDs revealed that respondents’ preferred to use inorganic fertilizer despite its inadequate supply because, apart from enhancing higher returns and net gains, it also improved output level and provided an opportunity for the continuous use of the scarce land.These results imply that economic returns play a critical role in farmers’ use of intensification technologies and consequently affect their resource management decisions. Policy measures aimed at promoting research on appropriate technologies that are profitable on farmers’ fields will be more effective in enhancing farmers’ use of intensification technologies.     

利用EXCEL求算水中非离子氨

Excel是办公自动化中非常重要的一款软件，它的数据处理功能在现有的文字处理软件中可以说是独占螯头，通过简单的学习，结合国家标准给出的换算公式，利用EXCEL编制程序，方便快捷地计算水中非离子氨浓度，计算结果表明，当实际测得水温和pH与表中数据吻合时三种计算方法结果无明显差异，当实际测得的水温和pH与表中不对应时，查表法存在明显偏差，而使用EXCEL运算就能与笔算结果一致，准确可靠。     

未熟-低熟烃源岩的有机岩石学特征

采用全岩光片镜鉴和显微荧光分析方法 ,对我国不同地区 5 0 0余块未熟 低熟烃源岩样品进行了系统的有机岩石学研究。未熟 低熟烃源岩显微组分组成具有显著的非均质性 ,不同地区显示出陆源组分与水生生源组分不同的“配比”关系 ,反映出其有机质组成的复杂性 ,并确认藻类体、孢子体、树脂体、木栓质体、壳屑体和矿物沥青基质等组分是其最常见的生烃组分。基于对镜质组反射率Ro和孢子体荧光变化等演化指标特征的分析 ,认为未熟 低熟烃源岩有机质早期热演化具有明显的阶段性 ,一般都表现为“二段式”变化 ,其变化界限大致以Ro等于 0 .5 0 %～ 0 .5 5 %为界。     

浅析元宝山露天矿疏干排水存在的问题

通过对元宝山露天矿疏干水现存问题的探讨 ,对问题成因进行分析 ,找出解决问题的的具体办法 ,为露天疏干水建设提供模型     

Vocal acrobatics in a Chinese frog, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Amolops tormotus</Emphasis>

Although amphibians are highly vocal, they generally emit only a limited number of acoustic communication signals. We report here the extraordinarily rich vocal repertoire of Amolops tormotus, a ranid species in China. These frogs produce countless vocalizations, some of which share features of birdsong or primate calls, e.g., ultrasonic frequency components, multiple upward and downward FM sweeps, and sudden onset and offset of selective harmonic components within a call note. Frame-by-frame video analysis of the frog's calling behavior suggests the presence of two pairs of vocal sacs that may contribute to the remarkable call-note complexity in this species. Electronic supplementary material to this paper can be obtained by using the Springer LINK server located at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00114-002-0335-x.     

Preparation of PFS coagulant by sectionalized reactor

The oxidation rate of ferrous sulfate is investigated for the preparation of polyferric sulfate(PFS)coagulant.In is proved that this reaction is zero order with respect to Fe^2 ,first order with respect to NO2(g),and first order with respect to the interface area between gas phase and liquid phase.According to this mechanism,sectionalized reactor(SR) is used in place of traditional reactor(TR),and the liquid of reaction mixture is recycled by pump.As a result,not only the flow path of reaction liquid is prolonged,but also gas-liquid contact area enlarged,and the reaction distinctly accelerated,compared with traditional reactor.The effects of parameters including temperature,acidity and others on the reaction rate are also discussed.