Vitamins,folic acid and neural tube defects: Comments on investigations in the United States

No clear answer concerning whether multivitamin/folate supplementation prevents neural tube defects (NTDs) is provided by three studies in the United States. All these studies are occurrence in nature, no recurrence studies having been conducted. The Atlanta Birth Defects Study is subject to pronounced memory and recall biases, the length between event and interview being as long as 16 years. In a second study (Boston University), objections can be raised to certain aspects of the experimental design, and the claim that 22 per cent of women started vitamins sufficiently early after pregnancy diagnosis to influence NTD formation is suspicious. Our NICHD case control study of 541 women in California and Illinois revealed no evidence for multivitamins or folic acid preventing NTDs. U.S. public policy-makers face difficulties in applying results of recurrence or occurrence studies in high-risk areas to low-risk areas in the U.S.     

Evaluation of inorganic pyrophosphate in amniotic fluid as a mode of prenatal diagnosis of osteogenesis imperfecta

Using a modified procedure by Solomons and Styner (1969), an evaluation of inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) was performed on the amniotic fluid of two fetuses at risk for osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) at 14½ weeks gestation. The parents of both cases had a previous child with OI, Type II. The normal control group at 14–16 weeks gestation had PPi values ranging from 22.0–59.2 ug/100 ml, with a mean of 38.6±9.51 ug/100 ml. In each at-risk fetus, the amniotic fluid PPi value was within normal range. The first baby was born phenotypically normal at term. Intrauterine radiographic and fetal sonograms were done on the second fetus at approximately 19 weeks gestation. Both showed evidence of OI, Type II. The pregnancy was terminated at 21 weeks. Radiologic studies of the aborted fetus were consistent with OI, Type II. Our results indicate that the evaluation of PPi levels in amniotic fluid is not the method of choice for prenatal diagnosis of IO.     

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。     

Effects of environmental factors on the production and release of matrix-bound phosphine from lake sediments

Effects of pH, temperature, and oxygen on the production and release of phosphine in eutrophic lake sediments were investigated under laboratory tests. Results indicated that the elimination of matrix-bound phosphine was accelerated under initial pH 1 or 12. Phosphine levels could reach maximum under initial pH 10. The contents of phosphine increased with the addition of alkali under pH 4–12. The rates of phosphine production and release from lake sediments varied with temperature. 20°C was the most favorable temperature for the production of matrix-bound phosphine. Oxygen showed little effect on matrix-bound phosphine. Matrix-bound phosphine concentrations in lake sediments were concluded to be dependent on a balance of natural generation and depletion processes. Translated from Acta Scientise Circumstantiae, 2005, 25(5): 681–685 [译自: 环境科学学报]     

浅谈化工装置灾害事故的处置

化工生产一般采用温控分离、氧化还原、催化裂解、压力聚合等工艺方法,而化工产品特别是中间产品一般都具有易燃、易爆、有毒、有害和腐蚀等特点.在化工生产的过程中可能发生的各类灾害事故已经成为各级政府和应急救援单位研究的重要课题.下面结合工作实践谈谈化工装置灾害事故的处置思路.     

环境化学污染对人类的生殖危害

目前认为，环境化学物污染已对人类生殖造成一定的有害影响，综述近年来国内外有关环境中金属元素、有机化学品、气体及农药等化学物质对人类生殖影响的研究报道，为进一步开展环境生殖研究提供参考。     

建材资源开发的生态环境补偿费探讨

应用新的资源价值观念与环境经济学中ＭＯＣ框架及其它理论，给出了建材资源的生态环境补偿费的定义与确定方法，建立了相应的理论模型。在此基础上，根据不同地区的经济发展水平与环境现状等实现情况，用认可系数对计算的补偿费进行修正。