Prenatal detection of limb defects after chorionic villus sampling

Prenatal sonographic diagnoses of two cases of severe limb defects after first-trimester chorionic villus sampling (CVS) are presented. Pathological examination after elective termination correlated well with the prenatal sonographic findings. Although the relationship between CVS and limb defects remains controversial, careful ultrasound examination for possible limb defects in cases receiving CVS is recommended.     

False-positive amniotic fluid acetylcholinesterase analysis in the third trimester

Thirty-two third-trimester amniotic fluid samples were studied according to the indication for amniocentesis, result of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) analysis, and outcome, in order to address the issue of the effectiveness of AChE testing late in gestation. The results indicate that third-trimester AChE analysis is less effective than second trimester in distinguishing open neural tube defects (ONTDs) and ventral wall defects (VWDs) from other abnormalities. False-positive results occurred in cases of isolated hydrocephaly (four of seven cases), polyhydramnios, and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). Caution is recommended in interpreting third-trimester AChE tests, particularly when neither an ONTD nor a VWD is observed by ultrasound.     

Amniotic fluid acetylcholinesterase measurement in the prenatal diagnosis of open neural tube defects. Second report of the collaborative acetylcholinesterase study

Seventeen centres from Australia, Britain, France, and the United States collaborated in a study to compare amniotic fluid acetylcholinesterase (AChE) determination by gel electrophoresis and amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) measurement as diagnostic tests for open neural tube defects. The study was based on 32 642 women with singleton pregnancies (including 428 with open spina bifida and 238 with anencephaly) who had an amniocentesis at 13–24 weeks' gestation. The AChE test yielded a detection rate for open spina bifida of 99 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval 98–100 per cent), 98 per cent for anencephaly (95 per cent confidence interval 96–100 per cent), and a false-positive rate of 0.34 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval 0.28–0.40 per cent) excluding miscarriages, intrauterine death, and serious fetal abnormalities. The false-positive rate was 0.30 per cent among the 13 centres that used a specific AChE inhibitor in the test. Comparable rates for the AFP test were less favourable. (For example, the open spina bifida detection rate was 90 per cent and the false-positive rate was 0.46 per cent using the cut-off levels specified in the U.K. Collaborative AFP Study.) The AChE false-positive rate was lower in samples that were not bloodstained (0.16 per cent) than in those that were (2.4 per cent). It was higher in women who had an amniocentesis on account of a raised maternal serum AFP level (0.56 per cent) than in those who had one for other reasons (0.29 per cent). The best results were obtained by a combination of the two tests, an effective and economical policy being to perform the AFP measurement on all amniotic fluid samples and an AChE test on samples with AFP levels greater than or equal to 2.0 multiples of the normal median (about 5 per cent of all samples). Using this policy, the open spina bifida detection rate was 96 per cent and the false-positive rate was 0.14 per cent (0.06 per cent for samples that were not bloodstained and 1.2 per cent for those that were; 0.40 per cent for women with raised serum AFP levels and 0.09 per cent for other women). This policy offers a useful improvement to the prenatal diagnosis of open spina bifida.     

Competitive role of nitrogen functionalities of N doped GO and sensitizing effect of Bi2O3 QDs on TiO2 for water remediation

The promising solar irradiated photocatalyst by pairing of bismuth oxide quantum dots (BQDs) doped TiO₂ with nitrogen doped graphene oxide (NGO) nanocomposite (NGO/BQDs-TiO₂) was fabricated. It was used for degradation of organic pollutants like 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) and stable dyes, i.e. Rhodamine B and Congo Red. X-ray diffraction (XRD) profile of NGO showed reduction in oxygenic functional groups and restoring of graphitic crystal structure. The characteristic diffraction peaks of TiO₂ and its composites showed crystalline anatase TiO₂. Morphological images represent spherical shaped TiO₂ evenly covered with BQDs spread on NGO sheet. The surface linkages of $\text{NO}?\mathrm{O}?\text{Ti}$, $\mathrm{C}?\mathrm{O}?\text{Ti}$, $\mathrm{B}\mathrm{i}?\mathrm{O}?\text{Ti}$ and vibrational modes are observed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman studies. BQDs and NGO modified TiO₂ results into red shifting in visible region as studied in diffused reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). NGO and BQDs in TiO₂ are linked with defect centers which reduced the recombination of free charge carriers by quenching of photoluminescence (PL) intensities. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) shows that no peak related to $\mathrm{C}?\mathrm{O}$ in NGO/BQDs-TiO₂ is observed. This indicated that doping of nitrogen into GO has reduced some oxygen functional groups. Nitrogen functionalities in NGO and photosensitizing effect of BQDs in ternary composite have improved photocatalytic activity against organic pollutants. Intermediate byproducts during photo degradation process of 2,4-DCP were studied through high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Study of radical scavengers indicated that ${\mathrm{O}}_2^{·?}$ has significant role for degradation of 2,4-DCP. Our investigations propose that fabricated nanohybrid architecture has potential for degradation of environmental pollutions.     

Prenatal diagnosis of fetal anomalies during the second trimester of pregnancy: Their characterization and delineation of defects in pregnancies at risk

During a follow-up study of 19 790 pregnancies at risk for a genetic disease, from 1968 to 1989, 1083 fetuses were found to have an anomaly during the second trimester, leading to 977 terminations of pregnancy. Neural tube defects (31.4 per cent), chromosomal disorders (27.1 per cent), and Mendelian or multifactorial diseases (10.6 per cent) were the main causes of fetal anomaly. More than half (52.9 per cent) of the fetal anomalies were detected by routine ultrasound examination. Forty-two per cent of cystic hygromas were secondary to a chromosomal defect. We stress the importance of a comprehensive fetal and newborn examination to ensure an accurate diagnosis so that subsequently accurate counselling can be provided.     

基于电容成像检测技术的带防腐层金属结构缺陷检测

目的同时检测防腐层下金属结构表面缺陷和防腐层缺陷。方法应用电容成像检测技术同时检测防腐层下金属结构表面缺陷和防腐层缺陷,理论分析防腐层下金属表面减薄缺陷、防腐层下金属表面坑状缺陷和防腐层缺陷对电场线的扰动变化规律,仿真分析这三种缺陷对电势线的扰动变化规律,提出电容成像检测技术用于检测防腐层下金属结构表面缺陷和防腐层缺陷的可行性,并搭建电容成像检测系统,利用检测系统检测2 mm和4 mm防腐层下金属表面减薄1 mm和2 mm缺陷、金属表面坑状缺陷、2 mm防腐层下金属结构(防腐层含有通孔缺陷)。结果理论分析和仿真分析显示,电容成像检测技术具有检测防腐层下金属结构表面缺陷和防腐层缺陷的可行性。试验结果表明,电容成像系统能检测2 mm和4 mm防腐层下金属表面减薄1 mm和2 mm缺陷、金属表面坑状缺陷、2 mm防腐层下金属结构(防腐层含有通孔缺陷)。除此之外,在防腐层下金属表面缺陷处的检测结果值呈现上升的趋势,在防腐层缺陷处的检测结果呈现下降的趋势,据此规律可以区分防腐层下金属表面缺陷和防腐层缺陷。结论电容成像检测技术能检测防腐层下金属结构表面减薄缺陷和坑状缺陷,还能同时检测防腐层本身存在的缺陷。根据检测在防腐层下金属结构表面缺陷和防腐层缺陷所呈现的不同结果,可用于区分这两类缺陷,有利于为油气储运设施缺陷维修制定合理的方案。     

基于FAD的铝合金车体焊接缺陷安全性评价方法研究

目的确保高速列车运行安全,采用先进的方法和理论对焊接缺陷进行评定显得非常重要。方法采用断裂力学和有限元相结合的方法,建立车体全比例有限元模型。采用热弹塑性法对焊接残余应力进行有限元数值仿真。基于标准BS 7910提供的焊接缺陷评价方法,对焊接缺陷进行安全性评定。结果对车体带焊缝的有限元模型,依据BS EN12663标准施加车体所承受的载荷,获取焊缝关注点的应力转化所得到一次应力。根据关注点信息建立所在焊缝处的接头模型进行热弹塑性仿真模拟,从而获取该关注点残余应力数值及分布转化所得到二次应力。将焊接缺陷进行裂纹当量化,从而计算得到载荷比与应力强度因子比值,结合许用FAD曲线,对高速列车铝合金车体上焊缝关注点进行安全性评价。结论该方法对车体这种大型复杂焊接结构的安全性进行评价是可行的,并对焊接缺陷是否合于使用提出质量控制的建议。     

塑封电子元器件温度失效机理研究

应用非破坏性检测技术和破坏性显微分析技术对塑封电子元器件在温度循环试验中发生的失效进行了分析,通过研究缺陷发展的过程并结合现有检测标准要求,提出了对器件设计改进和完善现有检测标准的建议。     

A geological analysis for the environmental cause of human birth defects based on GIS

Previous studies on birth defects risk from environmental factors focused on the dose–response relationship of exposure to toxic materials. The purpose of this article is to investigate the relationship between the geological background and occurrence ratio of neural tube defect (NTD) birth defects. Bayesian method was used to adjust the occurrence of NTD birth defects; both parametric and nonparametric statistical methods were used to quantify the correlation between geological background and human birth defects risk. At the two limbs of anticline rock, whose kernel stratum is of Archean kingdom, age of rock strata showed significant positive correlation to the occurrence of birth defects risk. In the region inside 4?km around the fault zone, the occurrence ratio of NTD birth defects is the highest; and decreases when the buffer distance increases. In macro spatial scale, geological background has a significant correlation to the birth defects risk with people residing near the fault zone having higher risk to beget babies with birth defects.     

一种定量环境应力筛选中引入缺陷的计算方法

引入缺陷是定量环境应力筛选的关键参数之一。笔者从环境应力筛选的试验过程出发建立数学模型,推导一个计算元器件缺陷比例的数学公式,提出了一个间接计算引入缺陷的方法,最后给出一个算例,证明该方法是可行的。与国家军用标准上介绍的计算方法相比,该方法避免计算生产厂家的工艺缺陷,同时把研制产品的设计缺陷考虑在内,因此,更加客观、准确。