东海海域春季降水的化学特征

根据１９９４年４月１７日－２７日东海海域的降水雨样化学组份分析，并将春与我国上海及日本西海岸的降水化学组分进行了地比。认为东海海域的降水经与陆地源污染的输送有关，在东南风系作用下，降水肥东南海上气闭影响，从上海以东到日本以西的广阔的海域中，降水呈弱酸或中性，其化学组份表现为海洋化学的特征；在东北风系作用下，东海海域的降水主要受朝鲜半岛和日本方面污染源的影响，降水中ＳＯ４＾２－非海盐浓度比东南风系时     

用改进型CAJRIX离子交换技术去除水中镉、铜离子的研究

本文报道用离子交换技术去除镉、铜的新工艺,在传统的CARIX工艺中碳酸钙是便宜的再生添加剂,但再生效率较低,使用较困难.本文报道用镁型化合物作为再生添加剂加入饱和的二氧化碳溶液中,将弱酸性阳离子交换树脂转变为镁型。在不同条件下选用Mg(OH)_2、碱式碳酸镁、白云石等作添加剂。实验结果表明,出水中镉、铜含量可达到废水排放允许标准。     

A prospective study of the incidence and significance of fetal choroid plexus cysts

Cysts of the choroid plexus of the lateral ventricle can be detected in the fetus during routine scanning at 16–18 weeks' gestation with an approximate incident of one in every 120 pregnancies. It is likely that in a high percentage of cases cysts are bilateral and that their recent discovery is mainly due to improvements in imaging technology. Although the great majority of cases resolve and do not result in any morbidity, five cases of trisomy 18 and one case of trisomy 21 associated with fetal choroid plexus cysts have been reported. In this prospective study, choroid plexus cysts were detected in 42 fetuses, resulting in 40 normal infants and 2 cases of trisomy 18. It is concluded that there may be a relationship between fetal choroid plexus cysts and trisomy 18. In order to obtain a more precise and accurate result, a multi-centre prospective study is being organized.     

Intrauterine manometry: Technique and application to fetal pathology

A technique is described for measuring pressure within the amniotic cavity and within fetal vessels and/or body compartments. Two saline-filled catheters were connected at one end to needles inserted during indicated invasive procedures and at the other to silicon strain gauge transducers. In 36 pregnancies with normal liquor volume, stable intra-amniotic pressure (IAP, range 1–14 mmHg) increased with gestation (r=0·48, p<0·01). In pregnancies complicated by severe oligohydramnios, IAP was ≤ 1 mm Hg and rose to normal levels with saline amnioinfusion. Raised IAP (range 17–26 mm Hg), found in pregnancies with gross polyhydramnios, fell with drainage of amniotic fluid. Subtraction manometry was used to determine supra-amniotic pressure within the intervillus space, umbilical vein, umbilical artery, abdominal and thoracic cavities, and the urinary tract in normal and/or pathological fetuses. Low intravesical and intrapelvicalyceal pressures (median 6·5, range 2–10 mmHg) were noted in fetuses with obstructive uropathies. Intrauterine subtraction manometry appears to be a useful tool in the understanding of fetal pathophysiology and may be of clinical benefit in the therapeutic drainage and infusion of amniotic fluid and in the assessment of certain fetal disease states.     

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.     

Prenatal diagnosis of β-thalassaemia in Mediterranean populations by dot blot analysis with DNA amplification and allele specific oligonucleotide probes

In this study, we describe a simple strategy to detect β-thalassaemia mutations in prospective parents and to make prenatal diagnosis in pregnancies at risk in the Mediterranean population. Screening of prospective parents is carried out by dot blot analysis on enzymatically amplified DNA with a set of oligonucleotide probes complementary to the most common mutations in this population. Prenatal diagnosis is accomplished by the same procedure on enzymatically amplified amniocyte or trophoblast DNA. The main advantages of this procedure are the simplicity, sensitivity (0.05 μg of DNA), and rapidity (12–24 h). Further simplification is obtained by amplification of the DNA from crude amniotic cell lysate. The very low amount of fetal material necessary for this analysis eliminates the need to culture amniotic fluid cells and may decrease the fetal loss rate associated with trophoblast sampling. The number of specific DNA sequences obtained by the amplification procedure allowed us to use non-radioactive labelled oligonucleotide probes, which have several advantages compared to radioactive probes.     

Framing the Long-Term <Emphasis Type="Italic">In Situ</Emphasis> Liability Issue for Geologic Carbon Storage in the United States

This paper examines how legal standards of liability may apply to geologic carbon storage. The liability regime governing geologic carbon storage will shape the technology's cost-effectiveness and overall attractiveness. We classify potential sources of liability into operational, in situ, and climate liability. As a first step, we explore in situ liability in the United States. After summarizing legal standards of liability including negligence, breach of implied warranty, strict liability, and product liability, we discuss how liability may be addressed at the level of the federal government, state government, industry, and the firm. Finally, we address the implications of judicial treatment of liability for carbon storage, including the apportionment of liability and the adequacy of current regulations.