Prenatally detected double trisomy: Klinefelter and Down syndrome

Double trisomies are a rare occurrence. We report the first case of a Down and Klinefelter's syndrome (48,XXY,+21) in a fetus that was prenatally diagnosed during the 15th week of pregnancy. Even though the nasal bone was present, and the color-Doppler study of the ductus venosus and the nuchal thickness were normal, the maternal serum test results indicated an increased risk of Down syndrome and consequentially a genetic amniocentesis was performed. A 48,XXY,+21 karyotype was observed and the patient decided to terminate the pregnancy. In this case, we did not find the typical ultrasound (US) signs that would have led us to the chromosomopathy; furthermore, we emphasize the advantages of using biochemical screening which, in our case, were crucial in arriving at the correct diagnosis. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Neanderthal medics? Evidence for food, cooking, and medicinal plants entrapped in dental calculus

Neanderthals disappeared sometime between 30,000 and 24,000?years ago. Until recently, Neanderthals were understood to have been predominantly meat-eaters; however, a growing body of evidence suggests their diet also included plants. We present the results of a study, in which sequential thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) were combined with morphological analysis of plant microfossils, to identify material entrapped in dental calculus from five Neanderthal individuals from the north Spanish site of El Sidrón. Our results provide the first molecular evidence for inhalation of wood-fire smoke and bitumen or oil shale and ingestion of a range of cooked plant foods. We also offer the first evidence for the use of medicinal plants by a Neanderthal individual. The varied use of plants that we have identified suggests that the Neanderthal occupants of El Sidrón had a sophisticated knowledge of their natural surroundings which included the ability to select and use certain plants.     

A drowned Mesozoic bird breeding colony from the Late Cretaceous of Transylvania

Despite a rapidly improving fossil record, the reproductive biology of Mesozoic birds remains poorly known: only a handful of undisputed, isolated Cretaceous eggs (some containing embryonic remains) are known. We report here the first fossil evidence for a breeding colony of Mesozoic birds, preserved at the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Oarda de Jos (Od) site in the Sebe? area of Transylvania, Romania. A lens of calcareous mudstone with minimum dimensions of 80?cm length, 50?cm width and 20?cm depth contains thousands of tightly packed, morphologically homogenous eggshell fragments, seven near-complete eggs and neonatal and adult avialan skeletal elements. Eggshell forms 70–80?% of the matrix, and other fossils are entirely absent. The bones exhibit clear characters of the Cretaceous avialan clade Enantiornithes, and the eggshell morphology is also consistent with this identification. Both taphonomy and lithology show that the components of this lens were deposited in a single flood event, and we conclude that it represents the drowned remains of a larger enantiornithine breeding colony, swamped by rising water, washed a short distance and deposited in a shallow, low-energy pond. The same fate often befalls modern bird colonies. Such a large concentration of breeding birds suggests aquatic feeding in this species, augments our understanding of enantiornithine biology and shows that colonial nesting was not unique to crown birds.     

Diversity of methanotrophs in a simulated modified biocover reactor

A simulated landfill biocover microcosm consisting of a modifying ceramsite material and compost were investigated. Results show that the mixture can improve the material porosity and achieve a stable and highly efficient (100%) methane oxidation over an extended operating period. The diversity of the methanotrophic community in the microcosm was assessed. Type I methanotrophs were enhanced in the microcosm due to the increased air diffusion and distribution, whereas the microbial diversity and population density of type II methanotrophs were not significantly affected. Moreover, the type I methanotrophic community structure significantly varied with the reactor height, whereas that of type II methanotrophic communities did not exhibit a spatial variation. Phylogenetic analysis showed that type I methanotroph-based nested polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) resulted in the detection of eight different populations, most of which are related to Methylobacter sp., whereas that of type II resulted in the detection of nine different populations, most of which are related to Methylocystaceae. Methanotrophic community analysis also indicated that a number of new methanotrophic genera not closely related to any known methanotrophic populations were present.     

Soil warming effect on net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide during the transition from winter carbon source to spring carbon sink in a temperate urban lawn

The significant warming in urban environment caused by the combined effects of global warming and heat island has stimulated widely development of urban vegetations. However, it is less known of the climate feedback of urban lawn in warmed environment. Soil warming effect on net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of carbon dioxide during the transition period from winter to spring was investigated in a temperate urban lawn in Beijing, China. The NEE (negative for uptake) under soil warming treatment (temperature was about 5℃ higher than the ambient treatment as a control) was -0.71 μmol/(m².sec), the ecosytem was a CO₂ sink under soil warming treatment, the lawn ecosystem under the control was a CO₂ source (0.13 μmol/(m².sec)), indicating that the lawn ecosystem would provide a negative feedback to global warming. There was no significant effect of soil warming on nocturnal NEE (i.e., ecosystem respiration), although the soil temperature sensitivity (Q₁₀) of ecosystem respiration under soil warming treatment was 3.86, much lower than that in the control (7.03). The CO₂ uptake was significantly increased by soil warming treatment that was attributed to about 100% increase of α (apparent quantum yield) and A_max (maximum rate of photosynthesis). Our results indicated that the response of photosynthesis in urban lawn is much more sensitive to global warming than respiration in the transition period.     

基于PCR-TGGE技术的餐厨垃圾厌氧消化微生物群落结构解析

为了解不同负荷下单相餐厨垃圾厌氧消化反应器内微生物群落结构演替特征,在单相厌氧消化反应器负荷为2.0～8.5kg·m-·3d-1(以VS计)的不同负荷条件下取样,运用16SrDNA的PCR-TGGE技术对反应器内微生物进行动态追踪.同时,运用Dice系统和NMDS软件对PCR-TGGE图谱进行分析.结果表明,负荷为4.0～6.0kg·m-·3d-1时,微生物群落结构变化不大;负荷为6.0～7.0kg·m-·3d-1时,微生物群落结构变化较为明显;负荷分别为7.0～8.0kg·m-·3d-1及8.5kg·m-·3d-1时,微生物群落结构变化最为明显.纵观整个过程,在餐厨垃圾厌氧消化反应器有机负荷在2.0～8.5kg·m-·3d-1下厌氧反应器内的微生物群落结构存在明显的阶段性演替;负荷为7.0kg·m-·3d-1时微生物群落结构的丰富度最好.     

利用皂土吸附和介电泳方法间接去除水中的Mn2+

水中重金属去除一直是水处理的技术难点.锰虽然是动物必需的微量元素之一,但是人和动物摄入过量的锰会对神经系统等产生毒害.利用皂土吸附水中的重金属Mn2+,在装有微电极阵列芯片的介电泳池研究装置中,通过调节外加交流电压,捕获悬浮液中的皂土从而间接去除Mn2+.吸附了微量重金属离子的皂土被捕获到电场强度较大的区域,发生了正介电泳.该研究为建立一种从废水中间接去除重金属离子的实际可行方法奠定了实验基础,不存在二次污染.     

再生条件对钾基CO_2吸附剂吸附性能的影响

通过固定床实验研究了再生条件对钾基CO2吸附剂吸附性能的影响。深入分析了再生温度和气氛对吸附穿透时间和饱和吸附量的影响。研究发现,当再生温度为200℃,N2气氛下再生时效果最佳,在此条件下再生后钾基CO2吸附剂循环性能良好,10次循环后仍然能有很好的吸附效果;再生气氛中有H2O或CO2时会影响再生反应的进行,不利于吸附剂的再生。     

有机氯农药污染土壤的Fenton氧化修复研究

研究了Fenton氧化对某实际有机氯农药污染场地土壤的修复效果。结果显示:Fenton氧化能够快速有效地降解污染土壤中的六氯和DDTs。当Fe2+浓度为80 mmol/L,Fe2+与H2O2的摩尔浓度比为1∶5,水土比10∶1时,反应6 h,土壤中六氯和总DDT的去除率分别为:96.7%和78.2%。每方土的修复成本估算为951元。     

SBR在高校中水回用领域的工程应用研究

采用SBR工艺对高校校园废水进行了处理,运行结果表明:废水中COD含量从200～360mg/L降至60mg/L以下,BOD5含量从70～110mg/L降至20mg/L以下,氨氮含量从60～80mg/L降至10mg/L以下,SS含量从75～160mg/L降至50mg/L以下,达到了北京市DB11307—2005《水污染物排放标准》的二级排放标准。