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.     

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.     

黄泥土不同粒径微团聚体对Cd2+的吸附与解吸研究

对采自太湖地区黄泥土进行了低能量超声波分离,采用平衡吸附法研究了不同粒径微团聚体颗粒对重金属Cd²⁺的吸附和解吸特点.结果表明,不同粒径微团聚体对Cd²⁺的吸附特性均符合Freundlich方程,模拟方程得到的K值介于152～503之间,以粘粒级和粗砂级为最大.微团聚体对Cd²⁺的吸附容量与其中游离氧化铁含量、CEC呈显著正相关.不同微团聚体Cd的解吸特点不同,粘粒级的解吸率仅为8.4%,远远低于其它粒径的微团聚体,这些结果有助于了解田间条件下土壤重金属化学行为和微观尺度的化学过程.     

恶臭假单胞菌Pseudomonas putida 5-x细胞壁膜系统的Cu2+吸附性能

对1株从电镀废水中分离出的革兰氏阴性菌恶臭假单胞菌P.putida 5-x的细胞表面组分对Cu²⁺的吸附性能进行了分析研究.结果表明,分离的P.putida 5-x细胞壁膜的Cu²⁺吸附容量是完整细胞的5倍之多.细胞表面组分如肽聚糖层、细胞外膜和细胞内膜在P.putida 5-x细胞壁膜的Cu²⁺吸附过程中都发挥了作用.肽聚糖层、细胞外膜和内膜在P.putida 5-x细胞壁膜中的含量依次为细胞内膜>外膜>肽聚糖层,而它们的Cu²⁺吸附容量的大小依次为肽聚糖层>外膜>内膜.在P.putida 5-x细胞壁膜对Cu²⁺的吸附过程中,肽聚糖层贡献了不到15%的吸附容量,而细胞外膜和内膜分别贡献了30%～35%和25%～30%.P.putida 5-x细胞外膜中的磷脂含量明显比其它报道的革兰氏阴性细菌的细胞外膜高,这可能是P.putida 5-x细胞外膜具有较高Cu²⁺吸附容量的主要原因,并由此导致P.putida 5-x细胞壁膜的高Cu2+吸附容量.     

Ecotoxic Effect of Photocatalytic Active Nanoparticles (TiO2) on Algae and Daphnids (8 pp)

Background, Aim and Scope Due to their large potential for manifold applications, the use of nanoparticles is of increasing importance. As large amounts of nanoparticles may reach the environment voluntarily or by accident, attention should be paid on the potential impacts on the environment. First studies on potential environmental effects of photocatalytic TiO2 nanoparticles have been performed on the basis of widely accepted, standardized test systems which originally had been developed for the characterization of chemicals. The methods were adapted to the special requirements of testing photocatalytic nanoparticles. Materials and Methods: Suspensions of two different nanoparticles were illuminated to induce their photocatalytic activity. For testing, the growth inhibition test with the green alga Desmodesmus subspicatus and the immobilization test with the daphnid Daphnia magna were selected and performed following the relevant guidelines (algae: ISO 8692, OECD 201, DIN 38412-33; daphnids: ISO 6341, OECD 202, DIN 38412-30). The guidelines were adapted to meet the special requirements for testing photocatalytic nanoparticles. Results: The results indicate that it is principally possible to determine the ecotoxicity of nanoparticles. It was shown that nanoparticles may have ecotoxicological effects which depend on the nature of the particles. Both products tested differ in their toxicity. Product 1 shows a clear concentration-effect curve in the test with algae (EC50: 44 mg/L). It could be proven that the observed toxicity was not caused by accompanying contaminants, since the toxic effect was comparable for the cleaned and the commercially available product. For product 2, no toxic effects were determined (maximum concentration: 50 mg/L). In the tests with daphnids, toxicity was observed for both products, although the concentration effect-curves were less pronounced. The two products differed in their toxicity; moreover, there was a difference in the toxicity of illuminated and non-illuminated products. Discussion: Both products differ in size and crystalline form, so that these parameters are assumed to contribute to the different toxicities. The concentration-effect curves for daphnids, which are less-pronounced than the curves obtained for algae, may be due to the different test organisms and/or the differing test designs. The increased toxicity of pre-illuminated particles in the tests with daphnids demonstrates that the photocatalytic activity of nanoparticles lasts for a period of time. Conclusions: The following conclusions can be drawn from the test results: (I) It is principally possible to determine the ecotoxicity of (photocatalytic) nanoparticles. Therefore, they can be assessed using methods comparable to the procedures applied for assessing soluble chemicals. - (II) Nanoparticles may exert ecotoxicological effects, which depend on the specific nanoparticle. - (III) Comparable to traditional chemicals, the ecotoxicity depends on the test organisms and their physiology. - (IV) The photocatalytic activity of nanoparticles lasts for a relevant period of time. Therefore, pre-illumination may be sufficient to detect a photocatalytic activity even by using test organisms which are not suitable for application in the pre-illumination-phase. Recommendations and Perspectives: First results are presented which indicate that the topic 'ecotoxicity and environmental effects of nanoparticles' should not be neglected. In testing photocatalytic nanoparticles, there are still many topics that need clarification or improvement, such as the cause for an observed toxicity, the improvement of the test design, the elaboration of a test battery and an assessment strategy. On the basis of optimized test systems, it will be possible to test nanoparticles systematically. If a potential risk by specific photocatalytic particles is known, a risk-benefit analysis can be performed and, if required, risk reducing measures can be taken.     

纳米Al_2O_3和Cd联合暴露对铜锈环棱螺体内Cd的生物积累和抗氧化酶活性的影响

金属氧化物纳米颗粒的广泛应用导致它们大量地释放到水环境中,其独特的理化性质有可能改变水环境中其他共存污染物(如重金属)的生态毒性。为评价沉积物中纳米氧化铝(Al2O3-NPs)对重金属Cd生态毒性的影响,采用底栖生物慢性暴露研究了Al2O3-NPs存在条件下Cd在底栖动物铜锈环棱螺体内生物积累的变化和Cd对肝胰脏抗氧化防御系统关键成分超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)与脂质过氧化指标丙二醛(MDA)以及Ⅱ相反应的关键酶谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶(GST)的影响。结果表明,低Cd浓度(5μg·g-1)时,Al2O3-NPs对Cd生物积累没有影响;中、高Cd浓度(25、100μg·g-1)时,Al2O3-NPs显著促进Cd的生物积累,Al2O3-NPs对Cd的生物转运具有明显的携带效应。低Cd浓度时,无Al2O3-NPs处理组和Al2O3-NPs处理组的SOD活性与对照组相比均没有显著差异;中Cd浓度时,SOD活性显著升高,而高Cd浓度时,SOD活性显著下降,而且Al2O3-NPs处理组的SOD活性显著低于无Al2O3-NPs处理组,Al2O3-NPs的存在加重了Cd对肝胰脏细胞的氧化胁迫或损伤。高Cd浓度时,无Al2O3-NPs处理组和Al2O3-NPs处理组的MDA水平均显著升高,但Al2O3-NPs处理组的MDA水平显著低于无Al2O3-NPs处理组,进一步证明Al2O3-NPs对Cd氧化损伤的增强作用。中、高Cd浓度时,无Al2O3-NPs处理组和Al2O3-NPs处理组的GST活性均显著下降,但Al2O3-NPs处理组的GST活性均显著低于无Al2O3-NPs处理组,同样说明了Al2O3-NPs对Cd毒性的增强作用。本研究提供了在沉积物-底栖动物体系中Al2O3-NPs促进重金属生物积累的证据,而且Cd毒性的变化与肝胰脏中Cd的生物积累水平的变化基本一致,在中、高Cd浓度下,由于Al2O3-NPs的存在显著促进了Cd的生物积累,因而增强了Cd对铜锈环棱螺的生态毒性。