Residual risk for cytogenetic abnormalities after prenatal diagnosis by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)

Results from conventional cytogenetic studies on 21 609 amniotic fluid specimens were analyzed retrospectively to determine the residual risk for a cytogenetic abnormality if interphase FISH, capable of only detecting aneuploidy for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y, was performed and did not reveal an abnormality. Detection rates (the probability of detecting a cytogenetic abnormality when an abnormality is present) and residual risks (the likelihood of a cytogenetic abnormality, in view of normal interphase FISH results) were calculated for the four major clinical indications for prenatal diagnosis (advanced maternal age, abnormal maternal serum screen indicating increased risk for trisomy 18 or trisomy 21, abnormal maternal serum screen indicating increased risk for neural tube defects and ultrasound abnormality). Differences in detection rates were observed to depend on clinical indication and presence or absence of ultrasound abnormalities. The detection rate ranged from 18.2 to 82.6% depending on the clinical indication. The detection rates of abnormalities significant to the pregnancy being evaluated (i.e. abnormalities excluding familial balanced rearrangements and familial markers) were between 28.6 and 86.4%. The presence of ultrasound abnormalities increased the detection rate from 72.2 to 92.5% for advanced maternal age and from 78.6 to 91.3% for abnormal maternal serum screen, indicating increased risk for trisomy 18 or trisomy 21. With regard to residual risk, the risk for a clinically significant abnormality decreased from 0.9–10.1%, prior to the interphase FISH assay, to a residual risk of 0.6–1.5% following a normal interphase FISH result in the 4 groups studied. Providing patients with detection rates and residual risks, most relevant to their situation (clinical indication and presence or absence of ultrasound abnormality) during counseling, could help them better understand the advantages and limitations of interphase FISH in their prenatal diagnostic evaluation. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Measurement of air exchange rates in different indoor environments using continuous CO2 sensors

A new air exchange rate (AER) monitoring method using continuous CO₂ sensors was developed and validated through both laboratory experiments and field studies. Controlled laboratory simulation tests were conducted in a 1-m³ environmental chamber at different AERs (0.1-10.0 hr^-1). AERs were determined using the decay method based on box model assumptions. Field tests were conducted in classrooms, dormitories, meeting rooms and apartments during 2-5 weekdays using CO₂ sensors coupled with data loggers. Indoor temperature, relative humidity (RH), and CO₂ concentrations were continuously monitored while outdoor parameters combined with on-site climate conditions were recorded. Statistical results indicated that good laboratory performance was achieved: duplicate precision was within 10%, and the measured AERs were 90%-120% of the real AERs. Average AERs were 1.22, 1.37, 1.10, 1.91 and 0.73 hr^-1 in dormitories, air-conditioned classrooms, classrooms with an air circulation cooling system, reading rooms, and meeting rooms, respectively. In an elderly particulate matter exposure study, all the homes had AER values ranging from 0.29 to 3.46 hr??1 in fall, and 0.12 to 1.39 hr^-1 in winter with a median AER of 1.15.     

Evaluation of solubility of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ethyl lactate/water versus ethanol/water mixtures for contaminated soil remediation applications

Solubility data of recalcitrant contaminants in cosolvents is essential to determine their potential applications in enhanced soil remediation. The solubilities of phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene and benzo[a]pyrene in ethyl lactate/water and ethanol/water mixtures were measured using equilibrium techniques. The cosolvency powers derived from solubility data were then applied to the model developed from the solvophobic approach to predict the capability of ethyl lactate and ethanol in enhancing the desorption of contaminants from soils. Both ethyl lactate and ethanol cosolvents were shown to be able to enhance the solubilisation of the tested four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by > 4 orders of magnitude above the levels obtained with water alone. However, ethyl lactate demonstrated a greater capacity to enhance PAH solubility than ethanol. The cosolvency powers of ethyl lactate/water system obtained from the end-to-end slope (σ) and the end-to-half slope (σ_0.5) of the solubilisation curve were 1.0--1.5 and 2.0--2.9 higher than ethanol/water system respectively. In line with this, ethyl lactate/water was demonstrated to enhance the desorption of contaminants from soil by 20%--37% and 18%--61% higher compared to ethanol/water system in low organic content and high organic content soils respectively, with a 2:1 (V/W) ratio of solution:soil and with cosolvent fraction as low as 0.4. With the exception of benzo[a]pyrene, the experimental desorption results agreed fairly with the predicted values, under an applied solution:soil ratio that was enough to hold the capacity of released contaminants.     

Absorption characteristics of new solvent based on a blend of AMP and 1,8-diamino-p-menthane for CO2 absorption

Aqueous 1,8-diamino-p-menthane (KIER-C3) and commercially available amine solutions were tested for CO₂ absorption. A 2-amino- 2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) solution with an addition of KIER-C3 showed 9.3% and 31.6% higher absorption rate for CO₂ than the AMP solution with an addition of monoethanolamine (MEA) and ammonia (NH₃), respectively. The reaction rate constant for CO₂ absorption by the AMP/KIER-C3 solution was determined by the following equation: k_2,AMP/C3 = 7.702×10⁶ exp (-2248.03/T). A CO₂ loading ratio of the AMP/KIER-C3 solution was also 2 and 3.4-times higher than that of the AMP/NH3 solution and the AMP/MEA solution, respectively. Based on the experimental results, KIER-C3 may be used as an excellent additive to increase CO₂ absorption capability of AMP.     

Rapid decolorization of Acid Orange II aqueous solution by amorphous zero-valent iron

Some problems including low treatment capacity, agglomeration and clogging phenomena, and short working life, limit the application of pre-treatment methods involving zero-valent iron (ZVI). In this article, ZVI was frozen in an amorphous state through a melt-spinning technique, and the decolorization effect of amorphous ZVI on Acid Orange II solution was investigated under varied conditions of experimental variables such as reaction temperature, ribbon dosage, and initial pH. Batch experiments suggested that the decolorization rate was enhanced with the increase of reaction temperature and ribbon dosage, but decreased with increasing initial solution pH. Kinetic analyses indicated that the decolorization process followed a first order exponential kinetic model, and the surface-normalized decolorization rate could reach 2.09 L/(m². min) at room temperature, which was about ten times larger than any previously reported under similar conditions. Recycling experiments also proved that the ribbons could be reused at least four times without obvious decay of decolorization rate and efficiency. This study suggests a tremendous application potential for amorphous ZVI in remediation of groundwater or wastewater contaminated with azo dyes.     

北方地区潜流人工湿地冬季保温措施的研究

人工湿地作为一种造价较省,运行成本低的污水处理技术,目前已经得到了广泛的应用.但是在北方地区,人工湿地受到冬季气候影响,无法正常运行,降低了它的使用效率.试验针对北方冬季低温环境下,人工湿地无法正常运行的问题,对3种不同的保温措施进行历时两年的对比试验,通过对TP、TN、NH₄⁺-N和COD等4种主要污染物和人工湿地出水水温的跟踪监测,检验了不同保温措施的效果.试验结果表明:在冬季,使用薄膜法保温措施的处理系统中, COD、TN和NH₄⁺-N的去除率分别为30%~45%、40%~60%和35%~60%,比温棚法和冰封法的出水中污染物去除率高10%~20%.TP在出水中含量波动较大,去除率为19%~70%,伴有磷释放现象,但是在薄膜保温下TP的去除效果也要好于温棚和冰封.经过SPSS 16.0分析,薄膜保温的人工湿地出水水质与冰封和温棚法相比具有显著性差异.在对人工湿地曝气槽和出水口的污水水温进行监测发现,利用薄膜保温的人工湿地出水口水温高于冰封和温棚的水温,进一步证明薄膜保温可以有效提高人工湿地内的温度,为人工湿地正常运行提供了保证.而且薄膜保温措施的操作简便、造价低,适合推广应用.     

3-氨丙基三乙氧基硅烷改性蒙脱石的表征及其对Sr(Ⅱ)的吸附研究

3-氨丙基三乙氧基硅烷(APTES)作为偶联剂在粘土功能化方面具有特殊的研究意义.因此,本文采用X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电镜(SEM)及红外光谱(FTIR)等方法对不同离子交换容量(1.0CEC、1.5CEC、2.0CEC、2.5CEC、3.0CEC、4.0CEC)的APTES改性蒙脱石(APTES-Mt)的结构及表面进行表征与分析,同时对Sr(Ⅱ)的吸附性能进行了研究.结果表明,改性蒙脱石对Sr(Ⅱ)的吸附平衡时间为24h,吸附量随溶液pH(1.0～10.0)的增大而增强,且改性蒙脱石的吸附量是原始蒙脱石吸附量的3倍.改性蒙脱石对Sr(Ⅱ)的吸附作用较强,吸附后的Sr(Ⅱ)不易从材料中解吸出来.XRD、SEM和FTIR等分析结果显示,APTES已经成功插入层间,改性蒙脱石对Sr(Ⅱ)的吸附机理主要为配位吸附.     

不同堆沤处理对玉米秸秆厌氧发酵的影响

研究利用纤维素分解菌F2对玉米秸秆进行堆沤预处理,将经不同堆沤预处理时间后的秸秆与猪粪混合进行厌氧发酵产沼气试验。结果发现,堆沤15 d后秸秆的总有机碳含量降低了10.06%,VS去除率和纤维素降解率比未加菌堆沤预处理分别提高了10.74%、10.60%;加菌堆沤预处理后的秸秆厌氧发酵甲烷产气率、干物质产气率、发酵前后VS去除率均高于未加菌堆沤预处理后的秸秆,且产气效率也有明显的提高;加菌堆沤预处理10 d的秸秆比未加菌堆沤预处理15 d的秸秆提前了2 d达到产气高峰,累计产气量达到21 957 mL,比未加菌堆沤预处理15 d的秸秆增加了1 629 mL。实验结果表明:该纤维素分解菌对玉米秸秆纤维素有较强的降解能力,并在一定程度上促进了有机碳的矿化;有效地提高了秸秆的生物降解性能,缩短了预处理所需时间;同时提高了玉米秸秆的利用率和产气潜力。