Detection of fetal HLA-DQα sequences in maternal blood: A gender-independent technique of fetal cell identification

The objective of this study was to detect fetal HLA-DQα gene sequences in maternal blood. HLA-DQα genotypes of 70 pregnant women and their partners were determined for type A1. We specifically sought couples where the father, but not the mother, had genotype A1. In 12 women, maternal blood samples were flow-sorted. Candidate fetal cells were isolated and amplified by using PCR primers specific for a paternal HLA-DQα A1 allele. Fetal HLA-DQα A1 genotype was predicted from sorted cells; amniocytes or cheek swabs were used for confirmation. Six of twelve sorted samples had amplification products indicating the presence of the HLA-DQα A1 allele; 6/12 did not. Prediction of the fetal genotype was 100 per cent correct, as determined by subsequent amplification of amniocytes or cheek swabs. We conclude that paternally inherited uniquely fetal HLA-DQα gene sequences can be identified in maternal blood. This system permits the identification of fetal cells independent of fetal gender, and has the potential for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of paternally inherited conditions.     

Kinetic-spectrophotometric determination of free cyanide by stopped-flow reversed flow injection analysis

A stopped-flow reversed flow injection method for the determination of free cyanide is proposed. Pyridine-barbituric acid mixture is injected in the flow system as reagent to form the colour species with cyanide. The flow is stopped when the reagent zone comes in the flow cell, where absorbance-time data are collected at 580nm wavelength. The linear range of the determination is 0.1 -10μg/ml CN-. The sampling rate is 60h-1 and the relative standard deviation is 1.6% (n=16) at 5.0 μg/ml CN-1 level. With satisfactory results, the proposed method was applied to the determination of free cyanide in wastewater without sample pretreatment.     

城市生活垃圾无害化处理工艺

根据武汉市金口、郭茨口两个垃圾处理场情况 ,分析了城市生活垃圾处理现状及其危害 ,阐述了生活垃圾无害化处理工艺 ,提出生活垃圾无害化处理不仅可以实现资源的持续利用 ,而且奠定了城市可持续发展的基础     

Soil and water loss in the Lancang River-Mekong River watershed (in Yunnan section, China) and its control measures

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化学发光流动注射法测定雨水中过氧化氢

用化学发光流动注射分析装置,将16孔阀连接成异步双流路,以过氧化氢-鲁米诺-钴(Ⅱ)为化学发光体系,建立了快速测定雨水中过氧化氢的方法,最低检测限为0.1ng/ml,在0.1—400ppb范围内有良好的线性关系,相对标准差为0.78—3.03％,每小时可分析480个以上的样品.     

人工湿地处理皂素废水生产性试验研究

黄姜是生产“药用黄金”——皂素的主要原材料，生产过程中会产生大量的工业废水。皂素废水是一种难降解、污染物浓度高的酸性废水，目前还没有成功应用于工程实际的废水处理工艺。本文主要采用人工湿地处理经两相厌氧工艺一好氧工艺组合工艺处理之后的废水，以满足达标排放的要求。经过4个月试验研究得出如下结论：人工湿地COD平均去除率为47．79％，氨氮平均去除率为75．64％，总磷平均去除率为88．82％。水平潜流型人工湿地作为皂素废水深度处理工艺是可行的。     

INCREASED BASEFLOW IN IOWA OVER THE SECOND HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY1

ABSTRACT: Historical trends in annual discharge characteristics were evaluated for 11 gauging stations located throughout Iowa. Discharge records from nine eight‐digit hydrologic unit code (HUC‐8) watersheds were examined for the period 1940 to 2000, whereas data for two larger river systems (Cedar and Des Moines Rivers) were examined for a longer period of record (1903 to 2000). In nearly all watersheds evaluated, annual base flow, annual minimum flow, and the annual base flow percentage significantly increased over time. Some rivers also exhibited increasing trends in total annual discharge, whereas only the Maquoketa River had significantly decreased annual maximum flows. Regression of stream discharge versus precipitation indicated that more precipitation is being routed into streams as base flow than as storm flow in the second half of the 20th Century. Reasons for the observed stream flow trends are hypothesized to include improved conservation practices, greater artificial drainage, increasing row crop production, and channel incision. Each of these reasons is consistent with the observed trends, and all are likely responsible to some degree in most watersheds.     

ECOSYSTEM DYNAMICS AND POLLUTION EFFECTS IN AN OZARK CAVE STREAM1

ABSTRACT: Subterranean ecosystems harbor globally rare fauna and important water resources, but ecological processes are poorly understood and are threatened by anthropogenic stresses. Ecosystem analyses were conducted from 1997 to 2000 in Cave Springs Cave, Arkansas, situated in a region of intensive land use, to determine the degree of habitat degradation and viability of endangered fauna. Organic matter budgeting quantified energy flux and documented the dominant input as dissolved organic matter and not gray bat guano (Myotis grisescens). Carbon/nitrogen stable isotope analyses described a trophic web of Ozark cavefish (Amblyopsis rosae) that primarily consumed cave isopods (Caecidotea stiladactyla), which in turn appeared to consume benthic matter originating from a complex mixture of soil, leaf litter, and anthropogenic wastes. Septic leachate, sewage sludge, and cow manure were suspected to augment the food web and were implicated in environmental degradation. Water, sediment, and animal tissue analyses detected excess nutrients, fecal bacteria, and toxic concentrations of metals. Community assemblage may have been altered: sensitive species‐grotto salamanders (Typhlotriton spelaeus) and stygobro‐mid amphipods—were not detected, while more resilient isopods flourished. Reduction of septic and agricultural waste inputs may be necessary to restore ecosystem dynamics in this cave ecosystem to its former undisturbed condition.     

INTEGRATING SERVICE‐LEARNING INTO WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES1

ABSTRACT: The objective of this article is to open a dialogue on integrating service‐learning into community based watershed management programs and to discuss opportunities and challenges that a service‐learning program presents to universities and communities. The article presents the concept and definition of service‐learning, and arguments concerning why institutions of higher education and university faculty and students should be involved with community based watershed management programs. The article describes a case study for developing a service‐learning program for watershed management at Virginia Tech and discusses lessons learned from the case study. The paper concluded that to make a service‐learning program sustainable, there should be a long term plan, regular and effective communication with the stakeholders, and some incentives for faculty and students for long term commitment to the community based watershed management programs.     

GROUND WATER NITRATE REDUCTION IN GIANT CANE AND FOREST RIPARIAN BUFFER ZONES1

ABSTRACT: Ground water contamination by excess nitrate leaching in row‐crop fields is an important issue in intensive agricultural areas of the United States and abroad. Giant cane and forest riparian buffer zones were monitored to determine each cover type's ability to reduce ground water nitrate concentrations. Ground water was sampled at varying distances from the field edge to determine an effective width for maximum nitrate attenuation. Ground water samples were analyzed for nitrate concentrations as well as chloride concentrations, which were used as a conservative ion to assess dilution or concentration effects within the riparian zone. Significant nitrate reductions occurred in both the cane and the forest riparian buffer zones within the first 3.3 m, a relatively narrow width. In this first 3.3 m, the cane and forest buffer reduced ground water nitrate levels by 90 percent and 61 percent, respectively. Approximately 40 percent of the observed 99 percent nitrate reduction over the 10 m cane buffer could be attributed to dilution by upwelling ground water. Neither ground water dilution nor concentration was observed in the forest buffer. The ground water nitrate attenuation capabilities of the cane and forest riparian zones were not statistically different. During the spring, both plant assimilation and denitrification were probably important nitrate loss mechanisms, while in the summer nitrate was more likely lost via denitrification since the water table dropped below the rooting zone.