Serum PAPP-A measurements in first-trimester screening for Down syndrome

Serum PAPP-A measurements taken from 254 women in the first trimester are reported. Eleven chromosomal abnormalities were detected. The mean serum PAPP-A levels in cases of Down syndrome were 0.44 MOM at 9 weeks gestation, 0.15 MOM at 10 weeks, and 0.29 MOM at 11 weeks. The PAPP-A level at 10 weeks was below those of pregnancies which aborted spontaneously. At 11 weeks, the pregnancies with Down syndrome recorded the lowest PAPP-A levels at that gestation. On this small sample, offering chorionic villus sampling to women with singleton pregnancies and a PAPP-A level below 0.3 MOM (approximately 6.5 per cent of this at-risk group) would have detected all the Down syndrome fetuses at 10 weeks and 50 per cent at 11 weeks without selecting those cases destined to abort. This suggests that serum PAPP-A should continue to be investigated as a potential first-trimester screening test for Down syndrome.     

Gas chromatographic separation and determination of chloroanthracene isomers on fly ash

An efficient, reproducible and rapid fused silica capillary column gas chromatographic method, in splitless mode, for analysing of the three chloroanthracene isomers is described. The method affords efficient separation and good linearity for each isomer in the range of 0.2 -200 μg/ml. The method can also be used in separation and determination of another thirty three aromatic and their halosubstituted compounds. This paper also presents the applications of the method in analysing of complex products mixture from reaction of the selected aromatic compounds with hydrogen chloride on fly ash surface from municipal incinerator.     

电场耦合高效液相色谱柱改善极性芳烃分离的研究

从燃烧的煤和油中排放出来的极性污染物,包含有多种含氮、氧和硫的极性多环芳烃(PAH),这些极性组分比非极性组分常具有更强的致癌和致突变性。目前,正相高效液相色谱(NP-HPLC)常被用来分离分析这类极性组分。 但是,要提高这些极性组分分离的选择性,现大多采用梯度洗脱的方法。也就是改变流动相极性的方法。本文介绍了一种高压电场耦合色谱柱的新方法。这种技术除了具     

Status of air pollution in Beijing

A study has been made on elements organic constituents, TSP, SO2,NO2 of atmospheric pollutants in Beijing. 17 elements, and some PAHs, e. g. B(a)P, B(b, j, k)P, and B(g, h, i)P, in airborne particles by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and HPLC, GC/MS, have been determined respectively. It has been shown that the elements Pb, Zn, S and Cu were more enriched in fine particles and different valence states of sulfur at various sites. It was found that the concentrations of S6+ and S2-were more than 85% and less than 15% of the total sulfur respectively. Concentrations of major PAHs and sulfur-containing compounds increased in winter and in urban area. High values for Pb and Zn in city, Fe and Mn at industrial area and Cu, Al rural sites were obtained respectively. This implies the functions of different elemental sources of various sites. Thus, elements can be from distingushed anthropogenic and natural sources.The main contribution of SO2 was found of to have same seasonal variation as the anthropogenic el     

Spontaneous abortion after transcervical chorionic villus sampling: A case report

A case of spontaneous abortion after transcervical CVS is presented. Despite no evidence of bacteria in the vagina and cervix prior to sampling and the prophylactic use of Metronidazole, pathological evidence of chorioamnionitis was found. The implications of this are discussed.     

Non-aqueous electrolyte solutions

Non-aqueous electrolyte solutions are nowadays intensively studied owing to their unique properties for their application in various electrochemical devices and procedures. Important advances have already been made in high-energy primary batteries, wet capacitors, electroplating, phase-transfer catalysis and electro-organic synthesis; advances are expected in further fields such as high-energy secondary batteries, non-emissive displays, solar cells, thin-film procedures and coating. A survey is given both for successful recent applications and expectations.