Prenatal diagnosis of medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency in a family with a previous fatal case of sudden unexpected death in childhood

Medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency is a potentially fatal inherited disease with a carrier frequency of approximately 1:100 in most Caucasian populations. The disease is implicated in sudden unexpected death in childhood. A prevalent disease-causing point mutation (A985G) in the MCAD gene has been characterized, thus rendering diagnosis easy in the majority of cases. Since the clinical spectrum of MCAD deficiency ranges from death in the first days of life to an asymptomatic life, there are probably other genetic factors—in addition to MCAD mutations—involved in the expression of the disease. Thus, families who have experienced the death of a child from MCAD deficiency might have an increased risk of a seriously affected subsequent child. In such a family we have therefore performed a prenatal diagnosis on a chorionic villus sample by a highly specific and sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the G985 mutation. The analysis was positive and resulted in abortion. We verified the diagnosis by direct analysis on blood spots and other tissue material from the aborted fetus and from family members.     

关于秦皇岛市竞争力的初步分析及对策研究

我国城市竞争力研究成果表明秦皇岛市综合竞争力在全国排序第39位,基础设施、环境、区位等硬竞争力较强,而企业管理、制度、文化等软竞争力较弱,因此虽然在河北省名列前茅,但在沿海城市中比较落后,为了增强城市竞争力,必须正确定位、协调发展;发挥优势、加快发展;加快招商引资;进一步开放;加快科技进步,加强精神文明建设;强化城市营销和品牌建设;强化城市和企业管理。     

Normative Framing and Public Attitudes toward Biofuels Policies

Although the power of elite issue frames to shape public attitudes toward different policies is well established, the relative influence of different types of frames in competitive framing environments remains uncertain. For example, we do not fully understand the relative influence of economic versus normative frames on the public's policy attitudes, despite the common use of both types of frames to promote the same policy in many settings. Using data from a 2010 national Internet survey, this paper investigates the relative influence of economic versus normative frames on public attitudes toward the contentious policy issue of biofuels. The results indicate the importance of normative frames in shaping public attitudes on this issue, suggesting the relevance of normative frames more generally in shaping public opinion beyond the narrow confines of typical “morality” policies such as abortion or gambling.     

北京地区菜田土壤抗生素抗性基因的分布特征

为研究北京地区菜田土壤抗生素抗性基因(antibiotic resistance genes,ARGs)的污染状况和分布特征,采集了11个长期施用粪肥蔬菜基地的温室土壤和大田土壤,进行了抗生素以及ARGs种类和丰度的检测.结果表明,菜田土壤中四环素类抗生素残留量最高,其次为磺胺类抗生素,温室土壤抗生素残留普遍高于大田土壤.温室和大田土壤磺胺类抗性基因sul1、sul2和四环素类抗性基因tet L的检出率均为100%.温室土壤的Ⅰ类整合子(int I1)检出率比大田土壤高1.5倍.定量PCR的检测结果表明,菜田土壤中sul2和tet L的相对丰度介于10-4~10-2之间,温室土壤sul2和tet L的相对丰度普遍高于大田土壤.sul2的相对丰度与磺胺二甲嘧啶和强力霉素的含量显著正相关(P0.05),tet L相对丰度与抗生素含量无明显相关性(P0.05).本研究结果对于掌握北京地区农田土壤ARGs的污染现状,以及从ARGs角度评估农艺措施具有重要的指导意义.     

石油污染土壤生物修复过程中氮循环功能基因的动态检测

氮循环相关功能微生物在土壤发挥其生态功能中起着重要的作用.为定量分析其中的固氮细菌、反硝化细菌和硝化细菌在石油污染土壤生物修复过程中的演变情况,采用了实时定量PCR技术对其相关功能基因nifH、narG和amoA的拷贝数进行检测.结果表明,污染土壤中nifH、narG和amoA基因拷贝数及其占总16S rRNA基因拷贝数的比例远低于正常土壤,修复后土壤中的同类分析结果与正常土壤接近.表明石油污染物破坏了氮循环相关菌落结构,而生物修复则使其得以恢复.进一步分析了不同修复方式下氮循环功能基因的恢复情况以及土壤中石油烃降解率.也表明同时添加秸秆和菌剂具有最好的修复效果,处理40 d后其nifH、narG和amoA基因拷贝数（以干土计）分别恢复到2.68×106、1.71×106和8.54×104g-1,石油烃降解率达到48%.投加真菌-细菌复合菌剂的效果优于只投加细菌菌剂的效果.本研究结果表明氮循环功能基因的动态监测可以从基因和物种水平上反映土壤修复的效果,为土壤修复的监控和效果评估提供参考.     

高氨氮废水与城市生活污水短程硝化系统菌群比较

短程硝化是污水脱氮工艺中的重要环节,系统中的菌群结构决定了其处理效果.为探讨短程硝化系统中的微生物对不同污水的适应性,利用细菌16S rDNA克隆文库、磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)和定量PCR分析方法对高氨氮废水和城市生活污水短程硝化系统中活性污泥的细菌群落结构、总体微生物的多样性以及功能微生物进行了比较.克隆文库结果表明两个系统中细菌群落结构明显不同,城市生活污水中细菌种类更丰富,但两个系统的优势菌群都属于变形菌门(Proteobacteria)和拟杆菌门(Bacteroidete).磷脂脂肪酸分析结果显示高氨氮废水短程硝化系统中微生物多样性指数和均匀度指数明显低于城市生活污水.定量PCR结果表明,高氨氮废水短程硝化系统中氨氧化菌(AOB)与亚硝酸盐氧化菌(NOB)的数量都多于城市生活污水短程硝化系统;高氨氮废水短程硝化系统中AOB比NOB高3个数量级,而城市生活污水短程硝化系统中AOB比NOB高2个数量级.     

Competitive sorption between 17α-ethinyl estradiol and bisphenol A/4-n-nonylphenol by soils

The sorption of 17α-ethinyl estradiol(EE2),bisphenol A(BPA),and 4-n-nonylphenol(NP) in single systems and the sorption of EE2 with different initial aqueous concentrations of BPA or NP were examined using three soils.Results showed that all sorption isotherms were nonlinear and fit the Freundlich model.The degree of nonlinearity was in the order BPA(0.537-0.686) > EE2(0.705-0.858) > NP(0.875-0.0.951) in single systems.The isotherm linearity index of EE2 sorption calculated by the Freundlich model for Loam,Silt Loam and Silt increased from 0.758,0.705 and 0.858,to 0.889,0.910 and 0.969,respectively,when BPA concentration increased from 0 to 1000 μg/L,but the effect of NP was comparably minimal.Additionally,EE2 significantly suppressed the sorption of BPA,but insignificantly suppressed that of NP.These findings can be attributed to the difference of sorption affinity of EE2,NP and BPA on the hard carbon(e.g.,black carbon) of soil organic matter that dominated the sorption in the low equilibrium aqueous concentration range of endocrine-disrupting chemicals(EDCs).Competitive sorption among EDCs presents new challenges for predicting the transport and fate of EDCs under the influence of co-solutes.     

崇明东滩夏季沉积物厌氧氨氧化菌群落结构与空间分布特征

为探索长江口崇明东滩表层沉积物中是否存在厌氧氨氧化菌以及厌氧氨氧化菌的群落结构与空间分布特征,以崇明东滩高、中、低潮滩夏季表层沉积物中总DNA为模板,PCR扩增沉积物样品中厌氧氨氧化菌特异性16S rDNA片段,通过克隆、测序,构建相应基因文库,将文库中有效克隆序列分别提交到GenBank中进行相似序列搜索,并利用MEGA5绘制系统发育树.分析结果发现,克隆序列CM-L-7和CM-L-18与已发现厌氧氨氧化菌Candidatus"Scalindua sp."同源性达98%,CM-L-13与Candidatus"Scalindua wagneri"同源性达94%,CM-M-6与Candidatus"Kuenenia sp."同源性达94%,CM-M-22与Anaerobicammonium-oxidizing planctomycete JMK-1的同源性达95%,CM-H-15与Candidatus"Kuenenia stuttgartiensis"的同源性达94%.表明,崇明东滩高、中、低潮滩表层沉积物中均存在厌氧氨氧化菌,但所属菌属不同,低潮滩以Candidatus"Scalindua"为主,中、高潮滩以Candidatus"Kuenenia"为主.相比之下,中潮滩厌氧氨氧化菌群落结构较为复杂.部分克隆序列与已发现厌氧氨氧化菌存在较大进化距离,表明崇明东滩可能还存在其他具有潜在厌氧氨氧化功能的细菌.     

基于引物的湖泊沉积物氨氧化细菌PCR扩增策略比较

PCR扩增是检测环境中β-变形杆菌纲氨氧化细菌(β-AOB)群落的主要方法,但是引物的敏感性和特异性对结果具有关键影响.本研究首先比较了2组常用的β-AOB 16S rRNA基因引物,结果显示,在扩增一组不同性质湖泊沉积物样品时,βAMO引物均获得明亮的单一条带,但CTO引物则未能全部扩增.克隆及序列分析证实,βAMO引物扩增获得的序列均不属于β-AOB所在的Nitrosomonadales目,而CTO引物扩增获得的序列来自β-AOB中的Nitrosomonas europaea/"Nitrosococcus mobilis"分支.采用变性梯度凝胶电泳方法,对4种不同引物组合PCR策略扩增所得产物进行分析,发现以βAMO或16S rRNA通用引物结合CTO引物的巢式方案可以提高扩增的效率,且β-AOB的群落轮廓与CTO引物直接扩增方案高度相似.这些结果表明βAMO引物具有较高的敏感性但特异性较低,而CTO引物则相反.因此,特定巢式扩增方案既可提高扩增的效率,也能真实反映湖泊沉积物中β-AOB的群落轮廓,是较为理想的β-AOB研究方法.