Maternal age specific rates for chromosome aberrations and factors influencing them: Report of a collaborative european study on 52 965 amniocenteses

Maternal age specific rates for all major chromosome aberrations have been determined in 52 965 pregnancies in mothers 35 years of age and over at the time of amniocentesis. Rates increase exponentially with advancing maternal age for trisomies 21, 18 and 13, and for the XXX and XXY syndromes, but in the autosomal trisomies this rise appears to be followed by a levelling off at the upper end of the age range. A significant inverse relationship with maternal age is found for 45,X cases. It is postulated that these various patterns are the result of the interaction of three principal factors: a maternal age effect acting particularly on first meiotic nondisjunction: a higher spontaneous abortion rate with advancing maternal age for aneuploid as compared to euploid conceptions; and an increased probability of spontaneous abortion before the time of amniocentesis for conceptions with more extensive chromosome imbalance. A stepwise logistic regression analysis of 13 299 pregnancies in which both parental ages are known shows that the father's age does not influence these maternal age specific rates, with the possible exception of the 47,XXY syndrome.     

The effect of age,gender and marital status on residential satisfaction

ABSTRACT

Residential satisfaction is a vital component of individual quality of life which has been explored by researchers from different perspectives. This study takes the stance to investigate residential satisfaction from sociodemographic standpoints. The purpose is to contribute to further research on residential satisfaction by exploring specifically the impact of age, gender and marital status on overall residential satisfaction and in more detail with components of residential satisfaction of residents living in apartment buildings in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Quantitative analyses of a survey of 204 residents living 59 apartment buildings in Dhaka was conducted to examine whether there is any relation between residential satisfaction with age, gender and marital status of the apartment dwellers. This study also examined if these sociodemographic characteristics had a moderator effect on some of the key components of residential satisfaction. Primary findings indicate that there exists a significant relationship between residential satisfaction with age, gender, and marital status. Further analysis revealed that the “Married” group was more satisfied than the “Single/Never married” group, senior people tend to be more satisfied than are younger respondents and females were more satisfied than males concerning overall residential satisfaction. This study concludes that potential sociodemographic differences among households in apartment developments in Dhaka should be considered for effective residential satisfaction and to create a socially sustainable living environment.     

不同碳源和泥龄对反硝化聚磷的影响

在4个SBR装置(1#~4#)中,对4种不同比例的丙酸/乙酸合成废水采用厌氧/缺氧方式驯化富集反硝化聚磷菌(DPB),研究了碳源浓度和污泥龄对除磷的影响。实验结果表明:(1)厌氧段碳源COD浓度越高,释磷越充分,溶解性正磷酸盐(SOP)去除率越高;但当碳源COD浓度超过某个浓度值时,未反应完全的有机物残留于后续缺氧段对缺氧吸磷产生抑制作用。(2)污泥龄SRT=15 d时,活性污泥的性能较好,达到了较好的除磷效果。(3)在相同碳源浓度和相同的污泥龄下,随着丙酸/乙酸比例的提高,SOP的去除率逐渐的降低。说明在厌氧/缺氧环境下,碳源中丙酸比例的提高不利于系统中磷的去除。高乙酸含量的碳源更适合反硝化除磷系统。     

汶川大地震灾后青少年心理援助经验启示

为探索和创新汶川大地震以及其他灾情灾后青少年心理援助提供科学决策依据,通过对四川灾区民众的调查分析及其对收集的信息资料研究,着重揭示了汶川大地震灾后青少年心理援助的经验：“三个加强”——加强方式、方法、机制“三位一体”对青少年心理援助,“三个强化”——社会、学校、家庭“三位一体”对青少年心理援助的启示。     

Comparison of 85Kr and 3H Apparent Ground‐Water Ages for Source Water Vulnerability in the Collyer River Catchment,Maine1

Abstract: Apparent ground‐water ages as determined by the noble gas isotope ⁸⁵Kr and the water isotope ³H are compared. Refined gas extraction methodology at the wellhead permits efficient collection of Kr for ⁸⁵Kr isotope enrichment. ⁸⁵Kr isochrones elucidate areas of much younger ground‐water ages than ³H. Declining ³H activities in the catchment prevent its correlation with the youngest measured ⁸⁵Kr ages. Source water for most drinking water supplies in the Collyer River catchment is recharged within 40 years BP (2004). Mean‐age (τ) transport modeling suggests uncertainty of ground‐water ages is greatest in the central basin area.     

Autonomous emergency braking systems adapted to snowy road conditions improve drivers' perceived safety and trust

Objective: This study investigated drivers' evaluation of a conventional autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system on high and reduced tire–road friction and compared these results to those of an AEB system adaptive to the reduced tire–road friction by earlier braking. Current automated systems such as the AEB do not adapt the vehicle control strategy to the road friction; for example, on snowy roads. Because winter precipitation is associated with a 19% increase in traffic crashes and a 13% increase in injuries compared to dry conditions, the potential of conventional AEB to prevent collisions could be significantly improved by including friction in the control algorithm. Whereas adaption is not legally required for a conventional AEB system, higher automated functions will have to adapt to the current tire–road friction because human drivers will not be required to monitor the driving environment at all times. For automated driving functions to be used, high levels of perceived safety and trust of occupants have to be reached with new systems. The application case of an AEB is used to investigate drivers' evaluation depending on the road condition in order to gain knowledge for the design of future driving functions.

Methods: In a driving simulator, the conventional, nonadaptive AEB was evaluated on dry roads with high friction (μ = 1) and on snowy roads with reduced friction (μ = 0.3). In addition, an AEB system adapted to road friction was designed for this study and compared with the conventional AEB on snowy roads with reduced friction. Ninety-six drivers (48 males, 48 females) assigned to 5 age groups (20–29, 30–39, 40–49, 50–59, and 60–75 years) drove with AEB in the simulator. The drivers observed and evaluated the AEB's braking actions in response to an imminent rear-end collision at an intersection.

Results: The results show that drivers' safety and trust in the conventional AEB were significantly lower on snowy roads, and the nonadaptive autonomous braking strategy was considered less appropriate on snowy roads compared to dry roads. As expected, the adaptive AEB braking strategy was considered more appropriate for snowy roads than the nonadaptive strategy. In conditions of reduced friction, drivers' subjective safety and trust were significantly improved when driving with the adaptive AEB compared to the conventional AEB. Women felt less safe than men when AEB was braking. Differences between age groups were not of statistical significance.

Conclusions: Drivers notice the adaptation of the autonomous braking strategy on snowy roads with reduced friction. On snowy roads, they feel safer and trust the adaptive system more than the nonadaptive automation.     

不同填埋时间、不同季节的垃圾渗滤液生物毒性

以武汉市7个城市生活垃圾填埋场渗滤液作为研究对象,探讨不同填埋时间、不同季节渗滤液的生物毒性变化以及理化指标与生物毒性效应的相关性.毒性实验采用嗜热四膜虫(Tetrahymena thermophila)作为试验生物,进行了渗滤液对受试生物的24 h半数致死浓度LC50和生长抑制测定.结果表明,不同填埋时间的渗滤液LC50在0.84%~12.15%之间;随着填埋时间延长,渗滤液LC50有增大的趋势,急性毒性逐渐减小,但渗滤液对嗜热四膜虫种群的生长抑制没有减少的趋势.不同季节渗滤液的LC50没有明显的规律性,夏季的渗滤液LC50较小,急性毒性较强;不同季节的渗滤液对嗜热四膜虫的生长抑制情况不同,春季渗滤液的生长抑制作用最小.渗滤液理化指标与LC50无显著相关性,而渗滤液对嗜热四膜虫种群的生长抑制作用随着COD、BOD5、NH4+-N和邻苯二甲酸二异辛酯(DEHP)的增加而增强.     

城市垃圾填埋场覆膜内的甲烷及恶臭物质特征研究

卫生填埋是常用的固体废弃物处置方法。部分填埋场对已经封场和暂时不填埋垃圾的区域覆盖高密度聚乙烯膜(HDPE),便于雨水分流、减少垃圾渗滤液产生量。通过在华北地区某城市生活垃圾卫生填埋场设置采样点,监测分析了HDPE覆膜内积聚的甲烷及恶臭物质的浓度和成分,研究在不同季节、填埋时间产生的甲烷及恶臭物质特征。结果表明:填埋场覆膜内甲烷的平均浓度为15.6%;硫化物、胺类以及恶臭浓度分别为153.9 mg/m3,16.0 mg/m3以及4 322 OU。主要的恶臭物质为硫化氢和氨。总挥发性有机物的浓度为0~147.2 mg/m3,苯系物、烷烃和烯烃是挥发性有机物的主要成分。恶臭浓度与硫化物、胺类浓度具有明显的相关性。环境温度、垃圾填埋龄和填埋量对甲烷及恶臭物质的产生与释放有明显影响。夏季甲烷及恶臭浓度分别达到81.2%和20 943 OU,明显高于其他季节。随着垃圾填埋龄和填埋量的增加,恶臭物质的浓度和成分均发生显著变化。     

新民城市居民头发重金属含量测定及相关分析

文章采用电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法(ICP-AES)及原子荧光光谱法(AFS)对辽宁省新民市城市居民不同年龄、性别群体头发中镉(Cd),铅(Pb),汞(Hg),砷(As)等重金属含量进行了测定,比较并分析了人发中各种重金属含量水平及与年龄、性别的关系。结果表明,新民市城市居民整体群体头发中镉,铅,砷,汞等4种重金属平均含量分别为(0.14±0.10),(3.80±2.43),(0.29±0.17),(0.39±0.21)mg/kg,均在中国居民头发中重金属含量正常值上限以下。回归分析表明,头发中所测定的重金属中只有金属Hg含量变化与年龄之间存在线性关系(R2=0.71);单因素方差(One-way ANOVA)分析表明,不同年龄群体间Cd,Pb,Hg,As等重金属含量无显著性差异(p>0.05);皮尔逊相关分析表明各重金属含量与年龄、性别之间无显著相关性(p>0.05)。