Effects of plant density on the photosynthetic and chloroplast characteristics of maize under high-yielding conditions

The Science of Nature - Knowledge on animal personality has provided new insights into evolutionary biology and animal ecology, as behavioural types have been shown to affect fitness. Animal...     

江汉平原中低产土壤及其改良利用

在分析江汉平原中低产土壤形成原因的基础上，将其分为涝渍、漏瘠和粘结三种类型，提出了五条改良利用措施：１、渔农复合，增强调蓄能力；２、抗旱治渍、协调水气；３、增肥调养，增肥地力；４、选择适当作物品种和优良耕作栽培模式；５、综合治理、系列配套。     

废活性炭微波再生新工艺的研究

提出用微波加热一二氧化碳活化法再生乙酸乙烯合成用触媒载体废活性炭工艺。采用条件实验法研究了活化时间、二氧化碳流量和微波功率对活性炭碘吸附值，亚甲基蓝吸附值和再生得率的影响，得到微波辐射加热二氧化碳活化再生乙酸乙烯用触媒载体废活性炭的最佳工艺条件为活化时间25min，二氧化碳流量0．2L／min，微波功率700w。在此条件下制得的活性炭碘吸附值为1158．02mg／g、亚甲基蓝吸附值为240mv,／g、得率为74．19％。并对活性炭进行了比表面积的测定和孔结构的分析，活性炭的比表面积为1308．13m^2／g，总孔容为0．76mL／g。     

An approach to preimplantation diagnosis of β-thalassaemia

Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), it was possible to amplify a single copy fragment of the β-globin gene from 2–32 human embryonic cells obtained from arrested preimplantation embryos. For the detection of β-thalassaemia mutations, allele specific priming of the PCR using nested primers was employed using approximately 10 pg of DN A from individuals known to carry these mutations. This approach was successful in detecting the presence or absence of five Asian Indian β-thalassaemia mutations that were selected for this study. In spite of meticulous precautions against contamination, false-positive amplification was observed, a problem that will have to be overcome before this approach can be used in clinical practice.     

Prenatal diagnosis of female monozygotic twins discordant for Turner syndrome: implications for prenatal genetic counselling

We describe a set of monozygotic (MZ) female twins, one of whom presented with a typical Turner syndrome (TS) phenotype and the other a normal female phenotype. Prenatal fetal ultrasonographic examination showed a monochorial diamniotic pregnancy with a hygroma colli and growth delay in Twin A and no anomalies in Twin B. Karyotypic analysis performed on fetal blood samples demonstrated a 46,XX/45,X (23/2) mosaicism in Twin A and a normal 46,XX chromosome constitution in Twin B. At birth, Twin A presented with a typical TS and Twin B had a normal female phenotype. Postnatal cytogenetic investigation of blood lymphocytes showed the same 46,XX/45,X mosaicism in both twins: 46,XX/45,X (40/7) in Twin A and 46,XX/45,X (40/5) in Twin B. Further investigations at the age of 10 months showed in Twin A a 46,XX/45,X (98/2) mosaicism in lymphocytes and 100% of 45,X (50 analysed cells) in fibroblasts, and in Twin B a normal 46,XX (100 analysed cells) chromosome constitution in lymphocytes but a mild 46,XX/45,X (78/2) mosaicism in fibroblasts. Monozygosity was confirmed by molecular analysis. To our knowledge, this is the first report of prenatal diagnosis of MZ female twins discordant for TS. Review of reported sets of MZ female twins (eight cases) or triplets (one case) discordant for TS shows, as in the present case, that the phenotype correlates better with the chromosomal distribution of mosaicism in fibroblasts than in lymphocytes. In the blood of MZ twins chimerism may modify the initial allocation of the mosaicism. These results suggest that, in cases of prenatal diagnosis of MZ female twins discordant for TS, the phenotype of each twin would be better predicted from karyotype analysis of cells from amniotic fluid than from fetal blood. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Annual average radon concentrations in California residences.

A study was conducted to determine the annual average radon concentrations in California residences, to determine the approximate fraction of the California population regularly exposed to radon concentrations of 4 pCi/l or greater, and to the extent possible, to identify regions of differing risk for high radon concentrations within the state. Annual average indoor radon concentrations were measured with passive (alpha track) samplers sent by mail and deployed by home occupants, who also completed questionnaires on building and occupant characteristics. For the 310 residences surveyed, concentrations ranged from 0.10 to 16 pCi/l, with a geometric mean of whole-house (bedroom and living room) average concentrations of 0.85 pCi/l and a geometric standard deviation of 1.91. A total of 88,000 California residences (0.8 percent) were estimated to have radon concentrations exceeding 4 pCi/l. When the state was divided into six zones based on geology, significant differences in geometric mean radon concentrations were found between several of the zones. Zones with high geometric means were the Sierra Nevada mountains, the valleys east of the Sierra Nevada, the central valley (especially the southern portion), and Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. Zones with low geometric means included most coastal counties and the portion of the state from Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties south.