First-trimester diagnosis of hydrolethalus syndrome in a Chinese family

We report a case resembling hydrolethalus syndrome in a Chinese family. Fetal polydactyly, syndactyly, encephalocele and cardiac malformation were detected on ultrasound examination at 12 weeks' gestation. Termination of pregnancy was performed, and postmortem examination confirmed the findings. This is the first report of a first-trimester prenatal diagnosis of hydrolethalus syndrome in the Chinese population. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bird's‐eye view of the environmental attitude types in the sustainable consumption context

Environmental attitudes are considered to be important factors that influence sustainable consumption. Typically, attitudes fall into two main types: a general environmental attitude (GEA) and a specific environmental attitude (SEA). This study found that the effect of the SEA is stronger than the GEA in regard to sustainable consumption behavior. Also, when analyzing the purchasing behavior of green products, the SEA is a more appropriate and consistent predictor of behavior than the GEA. The study suggests a more operationalized and salient definition of the intended meaning of the term “environmental attitude,” and also advises researchers and marketing professionals to use a framework that contains both types of environmental attitudes in order to better understand what drives the attitude–behavior gap in green consumer behavior.     

The amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS): A rapid and direct prenatal diagnostic technique for β-thalassaemia in Singapore

β-Thalassaemia major patients have chronic anaemia and since 3–4 per cent of Singaporeans carry the β-gene, prenatal diagnosis is essential. We evaluated the amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) technique as a routine test for prenatal diagnosis of β-major. Six mutations along the β-gene were studied—41–42 (-TCTT), IVSII #654 (C-T), 17β (A-T), – 28 TATA (A-G), IVSI #5 (G-C), and IVSI #1 (G-T). Our results indicate that prenatal diagnosis using these mutations can be offered to 90 per cent (35/39) of our Chinese couples and 54·6 per cent (12/22) of our Malay couples at risk. Confirmation of ARMS results was carried out using allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization. Prenatal diagnosis using ARMS was successfully carried out in nine cases which included a set of triplets and twins. The triplets were diagnosed with the β-trait carrying the 41–42 mutation. The couple with twins possessed the #654 mutation and one twin was diagnosed with the β-trait and the other with #654 homozygosity. Genomic sequencing of the undefined mutations in the Chinese couples revealed rarer mutations at − 29 and an ATG-AGG base substitution at the initiation codon for translation. In the Malay couples, genomic sequencing detected mutations at codon 15 (TGG-TAG) and codon 26 (GAG-AAG). We conclude that ARMS with its direct detection of amplified products by gel electrophoresis provides an accurate, rapid, and simpler method for our β-thalassaemia prenatal diagnosis programme in Singapore.     

Climate change: linking adaptation and mitigation through agroforestry

Agriculture is the human enterprise that is most vulnerable to climate change. Tropical agriculture, particularly subsistence agriculture is particularly vulnerable, as smallholder farmers do not have adequate resources to adapt to climate change. While agroforestry may play a significant role in mitigating the atmospheric accumulation of greenhouse gases (GHG), it also has a role to play in helping smallholder farmers adapt to climate change. In this paper, we examine data on the mitigation potential of agroforestry in the humid and sub-humid tropics. We then present the scientific evidence that leads to the expectation that agroforestry also has an important role in climate change adaptation, particularly for small holder farmers. We conclude with priority research questions that need to be answered concerning the role of agroforestry in both mitigation and adaptation to climate change.     

建筑工地事故的经济损失与最有效的安全投资（香港经验）

本文论述了对因建筑工地发生的事故而导致承包商的经济损失的一个调查情况。作者对１８个建筑工地发生的６１８起事故进行了调查，每一个建筑工地，其安全状况指标是用总的等量损失工作日除以总的所需工作日来评价。通过这１８个例证，可以得到建筑工地事故损失与安全状况指标两者之间的关系。类似的，可以获得安全投资与安全状况指标两者的关系、从这两条曲线中。承包商可以决定对建筑工地的最适宜的安全投资。建筑项目的最小安全投资为建筑总投资的０．５５％。这时，在最适宜点之处安全投资要比总的事故损失大得多。     

DESIGN OF A DIVERSION SYSTEM TO MANAGE THE FIRST FLUSH1

ABSTRACT: To manage the first flush of storm runoff in urbanized areas, a diversion box and detention basin system has been proposed for a new storm sewer system or for retrofitting an existing system. A software package for a personal computer has been developed to facilitate the analysis and design of the system. Hydrographs and pollutographs are generated at the inlet and outlet of the diversion box and the detention basin. The peak outflow and peak pollutant concentrations are compared with the allowable outflow and pollutant concentration for urban stormwater quantity and quality management. The model is developed for both analysis and design purposes.     

Kinetics of acetyl CoA: Arylamine N‐acetyltransferase from rapid and slow acetylator fish tissues

N‐acetyltransferase (NAT) activity was determined in 100 fish (Oreochromis mossambicus) livers using 2‐aminofluorene and p‐aminobenzoic acid as substrates. Overall, the liver NAT activity of the 50 females was higher than the liver NAT activity of the 50 males. The activities (mean ± SD) of NAT from kidney, blood, intestine, and liver of males was 0.42 ± 0.11, 0.12 ± 0.03, 0.12 ± 0.08, and 1.56 ± 0.54 nmol/min/mg protein for the acetylation of 2‐aminofluorene and 0.36 ± 0.09, 0.09 ± 0.01, 0.11 ± 0.04, and 0.46 ± 0.15 nmol/min/mg protein for the acetylation of p‐aminobenzoic acid. In kidney, blood, intestine, and liver from female fish, the activities obtained were 1.60 ± 0.12, 0.35 ± 0.07, 0.15 ± 0.09, and 1.89 ± 0.50 nmol/min/mg protein for 2‐aminofluorene and 0.95 ± 0.11, 0.27 ± 0.03, 0.13 ± 0.09, and 0.57 ± 0.12nmol/min/mg protein for p‐aminobenzoic acid. Kinetic constants for arylamine N‐acetyltransferase activity in kidney, blood, intestine, and liver from fish with rapid, intermediate, and slow acetylator activity were determined. Apparent K _m and V _max values for 2‐aminofluorene were 5.5 and 7‐fold higher for liver than for the other tissues. Apparent K _m and V _max values for p‐aminobenzoic acid were 3.5 and 4.7‐fold higher for liver than for the other tissues. Based on the 2‐aminofluorene NAT activity of liver, there appears to be a polymorphism in NAT activity with 16 rapid, 28 intermediate, and 56 slow acetylators among the 100 fish assayed. This is the first demonstration of acetyl CoA: arylamine N‐acetyltransferase activity in fresh water fish and could lead to the development of a fish model for monitoring the effect of pollution of water environments on native species.     

Paeonol promotes arylamine N‐acetyltransferase activity in human bladder tumor cells

Paeonol was used to determine effects of arylamine N‐acetyltransferase (NAT) activity in human bladder tumor cells. The NAT activity was measured by high performance liquid chromatography assaying for the amounts of N‐acetyl‐2‐aminofluorene (2‐AAF) and N‐acetyl‐p‐amino‐benzoic acid (N‐Ac‐PABA) and remaining 2‐aminofluorene (2‐AF) and p‐aminobenzoic acid (PABA). The NAT activity in human bladder tumor cells was promoted by paeonol in a dose‐dependent manner, i.e. the higher the concentration of paeonol, the higher the promotion of NAT activity. The data also indicated that paeonol increases the apparent values of K_m and K_max from human bladder tumor cells in cytosols and intact cells. This report is the first demonstration to show paeonol did promote human bladder tumor cell NAT activity.