Ingredients in sustainably managing water in semi-arid environments

The lessons learned from CALFED indicate that ingredients important in the long-term resolution of water management issues may not result in short-term “solutions”. The value of this special issue lies in its identification of ingredients that stimulate re-framing of issues, adapting to new knowledge and innovative decisions. But sustainable water management also requires the political patience to sustain those processes as a means of perpetuating the long-term decision-making necessary to anticipate and/or respond to an ever-changing environment.     

种植密度对镉锌污染土壤伴矿景天植物修复效率的影响

田间微区试验研究了不同种植密度对伴矿景天生长和地上部重金属吸收量的影响.结果表明,适度增大种植密度可促进伴矿景天的生长,显著提高其地上部生物量,但过分密植对植物地上部增产无显著贡献.种植密度由11万株/hm2上升到44万株/hm2时,伴矿景天地上部Cd、Zn吸取量显著上升,分别由0.208 kg.hm-2上升至0.631 kg.hm-2、13.2 kg.hm-2上升至58.7kg.hm-2;但种植密度从44万株/hm2增大到100万株/hm2时,植物地上部重金属吸取量并无显著提高.伴矿景天种植密度为44万株/hm2时,在Cd、Zn分别为(3.04±0.11)mg.kg-1和(1 299±96)mg.kg-1的污染土壤上种植1 a,对镉锌的修复效率分别达21.1%和4.60%,表明选择适宜的密度种植伴矿景天有利于增大植物地上部Cd、Zn吸取量,从而缩短修复时限.     

XII Ecdysone Workshop July 22–26, 1996 Barcelona,Spain

XII Ecdysone Workshop July 22–26, 1996 Barcelona, Spain     

Prenatal cytogenetic diagnosis after transabdominal chorionic villus sampling in the first trimester

First trimester prenatal cytogenetic diagnosis was attempted in 350 pregnancies after trans-abdominal chorionic villus sampling. The cytogenetic investigation was performed using both a short-term method (24 h incubation) and cell culture. Adequate samples were obtained in 99·1 per cent and in all these cases the fetal karyotype was established. A chromosome abnormality was found in 2·0 per cent of cases. A discrepancy between the karyotype obtained after 24 h incubation and the karyotype in cell culture was observed in 2·3 per cent. Maternal cell contamination in the cultures was confirmed in 13 of 181 cases where the 24 h incubation revealed a male karyotype. Studies of culture morphology showed that colonies of convoluted cells may serve as a marker for contamination with maternal cells in culture. For the present, we recommend using a short-term method as well as cell culture for cytogenetic investigation until the problems with karyotype discrepancy and maternal cell contamination have been further clarified.     

Prenatal diagnosis of abdominal cystic hygroma

We present a case of fetal abdominal cystic hygroma that presented at 19 weeks of gestation. Ultrasonographic evaluation of the fetus revealed soft tissue enlargement of the left leg and a retroperitoneal mass in the left pelvis and abdomen. This represents the first reported case of prenatal diagnosis of abdominal cystic hygroma.     

First trimester prenatal diagnosis of haemophilia A: Two years' experience

We evaluated the feasibility, reliability, and acceptability of prenatal diagnosis of haemophilia A by DNA analysis of chorionic villi. Twenty-two women at risk to transmit the abnormal gene were referred for prenatal diagnosis, two of them twice. Two of the 22 women appeared to be non-carriers by DNA analysis. In one of these women, the results were known only after chorionic villus sampling had been carried out. Thirteen of the twenty carriers were heterozygous for an intragenic (Bell or Xbal) marker; six women were only heterozygous for the extragenic DXS52 (Stl4) locus. One of the women was homozygous for all the presently known DNA markers within or closely linked with the factor VIII locus. Twelve of the 22 fetuses at risk were male, ten were female. Seven of the 12 male fetuses were shown to be affected and were subsequently aborted. Four male fetuses appeared to be not affected. In one case, the diagnosis was made by use of an extragenic marker. The woman rejected fetal blood sampling to confirm the diagnosis. After birth, a normal factor VIII level was found in three of the four cases. The fourth pregnancy is still continuing. In one of the 12 male fetuses, no diagnosis at the gene level was possible. DNA analysis is expected to provide maximum certainty as to the phenotype of the fetus for approximately 60 per cent of the women; for another 37 per cent a rate of misdiagnosis of 4–5 per cent applies. In only 3 per cent of the cases will no diagnosis at the gene level be possible as yet. The new possibility of a prenatal diagnosis in the first trimester of pregnancy enabled some of these women to have a family of their own and was appreciated in particular by the women who underwent fetoscopy in an earlier pregnancy.     

Prenatal diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy in Russia

Ninety-two families with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) applied for genetic counselling and further prenatal diagnosis. To minimize expenses, only one tightly linked informative marker was determined in the course of preliminary examination, and non-radioactive allele detection was preferably used. Four prenatal diagnoses of SMA type I, four of SMA type II, and one of SMA type III were made. This trial programme shows the considerable requirements, importance, and potential effectiveness of prenatal prediction of SMA in Russia.