Thyroid antibodies are not a risk factor for pregnancies with down syndrome

The observation that thyroid disease is frequent in mothers of children with Down syndrome (DS) has suggested that maternal thyroid antibodies could be a factor predisposing to trisomy 21 in their offspring. In this study, the incidences of thyroglobulin (Tg) and thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies were analysed with a sensitive solid-phase immunosorbent radioassay in sera from 29 mothers giving birth to children with trisomy 21 and 87 control mothers. The serum samples were collected at delivery. There was no statistical difference regarding the proportion of thyroid antibodies (against Tg and/or TPO) in the two groups. Thyroid antibodies were detected in 6/29 (20.7 per cent) of the DS mothers and in 23/87 (26.4 per cent) of the control mothers. Among the women with thyroid antibodies, 4/6 (66.7 per cent) of the DS mothers and 12/23 (52 per cent) of the control mothers had antibodies against both Tg and TPO. There was no increase in the relative risk of having a child with DS if the titre of either Tg or TPO antibodies or both were positive, i.e. ≥ 1/5. The results indicate that the presence of thyroid antibodies in the serum of a pregnant woman has no prognostic value for the birth of an infant with DS.     

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency by steroid analysis in the amniotic fluid of mid-pregnancy: Comparison with HLA typing in 17 pregnancies at risk for CAH

Amniotic fluid (AF) levels of 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP) and testosterone (T) were determined at 16–17 weeks in 17 pregnancies at risk for CAH and results compared to 75 normal controls. The fetus was predicted to be unaffected in 12 cases on the findings of normal AF levels of both 17OHP and T and the latter allowed a correct prediction of fetal sex in all instances. HLA typing confirmed normality in 12 cases revealing 5 carriers, 5 homozygous normal and 2 indeterminate. Steroid levels of the 2 groups were similar. Three fetuses were predicted to be CAH affected on unambiguously high levels of 17OHP and T (in female only). HLA typing was in agreement, and the diagnosis was confirmed in 2 abortuses and a female newborn by physical and hormonal studies. In the last 2 cases AF levels of OHP and T were normal but HLA (A/B/C) genotypes were identical to the CAH affected siblings. Normal physical and hormonal findings in the 2 aborted fetuses would exclude the possibility of an in utero virilizing form of CAH. The discrepancy could be explained on the basis that the fetuses had an allelic form of 21-hydroxylase deficiency or on the basis of recombination (not fully tested). It is concluded that a fully informative prenatal diagnosis of CAH should not rely entirely on HLA typing but on hormonal studies.     

铅对几种农作物的影响及迁移积累规律初探

四种作物的盆栽模拟实验表明:铅对作物的影响,主要表现为植株矮化、生物量下降.作物受铅危害,主要在种子萌发期和苗期.进入植物体的铅,主要沉积于导管壁及木质部细胞壁中.作物各部位吸铅的能力不同;作物吸铅量与土壤含铅量呈正相关;各器官含铅量依水分和养料的运输方向互成正相关性,并依此方向减少;作物吸收的铅不仅可以从下至上转移,也可以从上至下转移,但后者较困难.     

炼油装置运行周期评估技术及应用

炼油装置运行周期评估技术通过统计、分析装置故障数据,计算特定时间段装置的可靠性,进而获得装置可靠性随时间的变化规律和装置可靠性最差设备排序。介绍了该技术在某常减压装置的应用,应用结果表明,该评估技术为科学确定炼油装置运行周期提供了决策依据。     

Rapid modification in the olfactory signal of ants following a change in reproductive status

In insect societies, the presence and condition of egg-layers can be assessed with pheromones. Exocrine secretions are expected to vary in time in order to give up-to-date information on an individuals reproductive physiology. In the queenless monogynous ant Streblognathus peetersi, we allowed a previously infertile high-ranking worker to accede to the alpha rank, thus triggering the onset of her oogenesis (15 replicates). We then studied her interactions with an established egg-layer from the same colony after different durations, ranging from 20 h to several days. Even though her eggs are only ready to be laid after 30 days, the new alpha was recognised within 1–2 days. Detection occurred at a distance of a few millimetres, suggesting the involvement of a pheromone with low volatility, such as cuticular hydrocarbons. When the new alpha had differentiated for >48 h, she was attacked by the established egg-layer. In all cases, low-ranking workers eventually immobilised one of the two alphas: the new alpha was the target if she had differentiated only recently, suggesting that police workers select the dominant worker with the less fertile odour. Using the behaviour of ants as our measure, we demonstrate that a dominants olfactory signal changes rapidly with a modification in her social status, and it occurs well before the onset of egg-laying.     

价格体制改革中的环境政策调控

以价格体制改革为主线，着重分析和评价价格体制改革给环境保护工作带来的积极效应和负面影响。依据经济体制改革的客观要求，提出进一步利用价格杠杆加强环境保护工作的措施与方法。     

亚铵制浆黑液非无菌操作连续发酵生产酵母

从土壤中筛选出能在亚铵黑液中生长的毕赤酵母菌株（Ｐｉｃｈｉａ ｓｐ．Ｎｏ．１）经耐毒驯化后，可接种于酸析脱木素和汽提脱毒后的亚铵黑液中，在非无菌操作条件下连续发酵生产酵母菌体，该菌生产迅速，连续培养衡释率达０．２６ｈ＾－１，总糖的酵母得率为０．４８ｇ／ｇ（ＴＳ），ＣＯＤ去除２３％，菌体易絮凝，可自然沉降分离。