Structural chromosomal mosaicism and prenatal diagnosis

True structural chromosomal mosaicism are rare events in prenatal cytogenetics practice and may lead to diagnostic and prognostic problems. Here is described the case of a fetus carrying an abnormal chromosome 15 made of a whole chromosome 2p translocated on its short arm in 10% of the cells, in association with a normal cell line. The fetal karyotype was 46,XX,add(15)(p10).ish t(2;15)(p10;q10)(WCP2+)[3]/46,XX[27]. Pregnancy was terminated and fetus examination revealed a growth retardation associated with a dysmorphism including dolichocephaly, hypertelorism, high forehead, low-set ears with prominent anthelix and a small nose, which were characteristic of partial trisomy 2p. Possible aetiologies for prenatal mosaicism involving a chromosomal structural abnormality are discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Optimization of the high-pressure, near-critical liquid-based microsortation of recyclable post-consumer plastics

High-pressure, near-critical liquids were used as float-sink separation media for the microsortation of polyolefin mixtures and PET/PVC mixtures. Near-critical carbon dioxide was used for the refinement of the polyolefins, and sulfur hexafluoride was used to separate post-consumer PVC from PET. Preliminary experiments indicated that there was no overlap in the density ranges of post-consumer HDPE, LDPE and PP containers. There was no overlap in the PET and PVC densities, with the exception of a single PVC packaging material with a density in the PET range. These initial results indicated that a float-sink separation was a viable means of microsortation. Separations of 91% LDPE (1/8′ beads)/9% PP (1/8′ chopped strands) resin mixtures and mixed post-consumer polyolefin flakes were then conducted in a laboratory-scale, 1-I batch apparatus. This apparatus not only permitted the observation of the separation, but also enabled the separated fractions to be removed from the high-pressure environment. The results indicated that LDPE purity of greater than 98.9% was obtained in 3 min or less if (a) the fluid density was 0.018 g/cm³ greater than the PP density and only 0.002 g/cm³ less than the LDPE density, thereby providing the greatest buoyancy force for the removal of the PP, (b) the fluid was recirculated upward through the bed of mixed plastics, facilitating the upward movement of the PP, and (c) the loading was kept at levels below 40% by volume. HDPE purity of 99% was also attained with clean, dry, post-consumer mixed plastic flakes. The loadings for these separations were very low, however, due to the difficulty in agitating the mixed bed of plastics using fluid recirculation. An economic analysis of these microsortation processes indicated that the value of the sorted plastics relative to the mixed feed must increase by approx. $0.08/lb for the CO₂-based separation and approx. $0.27/lb for the SF₆-based separation to justify the implementation of these high-pressure processes.     

Design training and aesthetic evaluation: An intergroup comparison

A number of studies have observed differences in the evaluation of visual, aesthetic stimuli between those with and without professional training in art and design. If exposure to design training underlies such differences it follows that evidence of training effects should be observable when comparing subjects at different stages of design training, and not observable when comparing subjects at different stages of non-design training. In addition, this evidence should be consistent with directional predictions. The study reported in this paper investigated this question using a sample of 192 trained and untrained subjects in an evaluative task. Subjects were from two departments (Design and Computer Studies) of the same educational establishment and comprised balanced groups of lecturers, 1st, 2nd and 3rd year undergraduate students. The results obtained demonstrated evaluative differences and patterns of association both within and between the subject groups consistent with a training hypothesis.     

The behavioral component in the meaning of places

How do people think about the physical setting in the world around them? Part of the answer to this question may be in terms of the behaviors that occur there. To explore people's knowledge of behavior—place associations, twenty places (shown via color photographs) were assessed in five ways: (a) ratings of the place's suitability for each of eleven behaviors, (b) ratings of the expected frequency of occurrence of the eleven behaviors, (c) free listings of reasons for going to each place, (d) free listings of activities-while-there and (e) free listings of activities associated with the place. Results showed that people can distinguish places on the basis of behaviors, that the behavioral component of place meaning is composed of distinct aspects, and that knowledge of behavior is related to a global, overall representation of a place.     

Characteristics of roadside air pollution in Korean metropolitan city (Daegu) over last 5 to 6 years: temporal variations, standard exceedances, and dependence on meteorological conditions

The present study performed a roadside data analysis to provide baseline data for exploring associations between environmental exposure to four gaseous pollutants and health effects on residents living near roadways. The yearly roadside concentrations of CO and SO₂ showed a well-defined decreasing trend, whereas those of NO₂ and O₃ exhibited the reverse trend. In most cases, the diurnal trends of the roadside concentrations were well-defined for all seasons, plus the daytime concentrations were higher than the nighttime concentrations. In contrast to the other target pollutants, the daytime O₃ concentrations observed at the roadside sites were lower than those observed at the residential site, likely due to high-levels of fresh NO from traffic emissions that rapidly react with O₃, thereby reducing the O₃ roadside level. The Sunday roadside concentrations of CO, NO₂, and SO₂ were similar to or somewhat lower than the weekday concentrations. Conversely, for O_3, the Sunday roadside concentrations were similar to or somewhat higher than the weekday concentrations. The higher O₃ concentrations on Sunday may be due to the reduced titration from a decrease in NO_x emissions under VOC-limited conditions (low VOC/NO_x conditions). The monthly averages of O₃ concentrations exhibited the reverse seasonal variation to the other target compounds, with peak O₃ concentrations between April and June, and the second peak between August and October. It is also suggested that for O₃, the 8-h standard is more stringent than the 1-h standard, while for NO₂ and SO₂, the 1-h standard is more stringent than the 24-h standard. The multiple regression equations obtained from the relationship between the concentrations and five meteorological parameters indicated that the number and type of meteorological variables in the equations varied according to the pollutant, monitoring station, or season.     

Photocatalytic degradation of L-acid by TiO2 supported on the activated carbon

Introduction Aromatic sulfonic acid, which is produced in large amounts in chemical industry since the end of 19th century, has been widely applied in many industrial processes, including the various steps of procedure (Alonso and Barcelo, 2000). Naphthalene- sulfonic acids are of importance as dye intermediates and commonly used in the textile auxiliary industry employing many azo dyes and pigments. Among them, 1-naphthol-5-sulphonic acid (L-acid) is widely used in the printing as the raw ma…     

耕作制度对川中丘陵区冬灌田CH4和N2O排放的影响

采用静态暗箱/气相色谱法连续2 a田间原位测定,研究川中丘陵区冬灌田CH₄和N₂O的排放特征和不同耕作制度对冬灌田CH₄和N₂O排放的影响.结果表明,1a只种1季中稻冬季灌水休闲的冬灌田(PF),在水稻生长期,CH₄平均排放通量为(21.44±1.77)mg·(m²·h)^-1,非水稻生长期为(3.77±0.99)mg·(m²·h)^-1,分别大大低于以前文献报道的在西南其它地方观测值;全年CH₄排放量以水稻生长期CH₄排放量为主,非水稻生长期CH₄排放量仅占全年总排放量的23.2%.冬灌田N₂O排放通量年均值为(0.051±0.008)mg·(m²·h)^-1,且主要集中在水稻生长季,非水稻生长期N₂O排放量仅占全年总排放量的8.1%.在采用水旱轮作制后,冬灌田CH₄排放量大大降低,稻-麦轮作(RW)和稻-油菜轮作(RR)全年CH₄排放量分别为PF的43.8%和40.6%.但冬灌田改为水旱轮作制后,N₂O排放量显著增大,RW和RR的N₂O年排放量分别是PF的3.7倍和4.5倍.综合考虑冬灌田在采用不同耕作制度后排放CH₄和N₂O的全球增温潜势(GWP),无论是短时间尺度还是长时间尺度,采用3种耕作制度全年所排放的CH₄和N₂O所产生的综合GWP都为:PF RW≈RR.在20a、100a和500a时间尺度上,PF分别约是RW和RR的2.6、2.1和1.7倍.冬灌田改为水旱轮作制度后能大大减少CH₄和N₂O所产生的综合GWP.     

北京地区一次大气环境持续严重污染过程中SO2的垂直分布分析

在2004-09-27～2004-10-12期间,以325m气象与环境观测塔为平台,使用43CTL型高精度脉冲荧光SO₂分析仪,分别布置在观测塔8m、47m、120m和280m 4层观测平台,对大气中的SO₂气体浓度、PM₁₀和PM_2.5粒子质量浓度及同步气象因素进行了垂直梯度、连续观测.结合气象数据分析了观测期间大气中SO₂气体浓度的垂直梯度分布及变化形势,进行了SO₂浓度与混合层高度变化、海平面气压变化,风速、风向变化等要素的相关分析,观测到在实验期间大气边界层中SO₂浓度由上向下递减分布的现象.由于地形与污染源分布的影响,北风最有利于污染扩散等状况.观测期间捕捉到一次主要由气象因素造成的大气环境严重持续污染及污染清除的全过程.