SPATIAL ANALYSIS AND EUTROPHICATION ASSESSMENT FOR CHLOROPHYLL a IN TAIHU LAKE

Spatial structure analysis and kriging analysis have been identified to be useful tools in illustrating the spatial patterns of variables. Taihu Lake is one of the largest fresh water lakes in China, and has suffered serious eutrophication in recent years due to the rapid economic development and growing environmental pollution in the Taihu Catchment. In this paper, spatial structural analysis, kriging interpolation and eutrophication assessment were carried out for chlorophyll a in the lake. Studies show that spherical model could be applied to fit all experimental variograms. Positive nuggets were observed for three directions except NE–SW direction. The variograms show some anisotropy with anisotropic ratio falling within 1.76. The spatial structural patterns of chlorophyll a in the lake were affected by factors such as distribution of pollution sources, water flow and wind. Two-dimensional ordinary block kriging was applied for interpolation process. An eutrophication assessment map was also made based on a water-quality evaluation standard. Results show that the content of chlorophyll a in Taihu Lake was quite high. The whole lake has suffered serious eutrophication. However, the eutrophic situation varied in space. Higher contents of chlorophyll a appeared mainly in the northern part of the lake.     

四川锦屏山地区部分地层时代、玄武岩和花岗岩地球化学特征及构造环境

锦屏地区的地质研究程度较低，部分地层时代争议较大，玄武岩、花岗岩的性质、物质来源和构造环境等尚未深入研究。为了切实评价区域稳定性，基础地质研究十分重要。通过同位素年代学和孢粉分析，改盐塘组时代由中三叠世为早二叠世，皮罗渡桥西黑色砂页岩层为晚三叠世；稀土元素、过渡元素、微量元素和岩石化学分析表明，在金一箐断裂东西两侧分布的玄武岩为上地幔来源、不同于陆海环境的大陆裂谷喷发产物，花岗岩的分异和重熔程度不同，代表造山期挤压向造山期后拉张环境转化。上述结论为该区构造发展演化和区域稳定性评价、矿产资源寻找提供了重要基础资料。     

Fetal cholecystomegaly: A prenatal marker of aneuploidy

The fetal gall bladder can now be easily identified during the second and third trimesters using high-resolution ultrasonography. In this report we present eight fetuses with an enlarged gall bladder detected on prenatal ultrasonography at a mean gestational age of 24.6 weeks (range 19–31 weeks). Additional ultrasonographic findings were present in four cases: fetal anomalies and intrauterine growth retardation in three and polyhydramnios in one. Of those cases associated with fetal anomalies, one woman underwent amniocentesis at 21 weeks revealing trisomy 18. The other two declined prenatal karyotyping; neonatal karyotyping revealed trisomy 13 in one and trisomy 18 in the other. Although an enlarged fetal gall bladder can be a normal variant in the second and third trimesters, the prenatal detection of cholecystomegaly should prompt a search for associated anomalies and other markers of aneuploidy. If found, prenatal karyotyping should be considered.     

An investigation of methods for enriching trophoblast from maternal blood

Trophoblast deportation is known to occur in normal human pregnancy, but it is not yet clear whether these cells routinely enter the maternal peripheral circulation and are available as a source of fetal DNA for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of genetic disorders. To resolve this issue requires an efficient method of enriching trophoblast from maternal blood combined with a means to confirm its identity. Five different techniques were tested on ten retroplacental blood samples to determine the most sensitive and operator-efficient method. Lysis of red cells alone gave the best recovery of trophoblast but had to be discounted, together with Ficoll density gradient centrifugation, due to the very low purity and the excessive time required. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) of pre-enriched trophoblast resulted in the lowest recovery rate (8 per cent) despite a 3250-fold enrichment and a very high purity. Immunomagnetic beads (Dynabeads) coated with anti-CD 16 antibody proved to be the best method for the subsequent immunocytochemical characterization of deported trophoblast. However, IO beads coated with anti-CD45 antibody may be more useful for isolating trophoblast for prenatal diagnosis due to the high purity, enrichment (32-fold), and recovery rate (78 per cent) obtained with this method.     

Fetal nuchal oedema and antenatal diagnosis of trisomy 10

Trisomy 10 was detected at amniocentesis undertaken following observation of fetal nuchal oedema. This is the first report of fetal trisomy 10 in association with nuchal oedema. The physical features of fetal trisomy 10 are described.     

Ultrasonography in pregnancy and fetal abnormalities: Screening or diagnostic test? IPIMC 1986–1990 register data

The aim of the present study was to assess the sensitivity of ultrasound diagnosis used as a screening test in detecting major congenital anomalies in the prenatal period in a large nation-based multicentre setting. Data from the IPIMC register were collected in the period 1986–1990. One hundred and thirty-five hospitals, located in 17 out of the 20 regions in Italy, participated in the register. Study cases were 3479 infants with major congenital anomalies diagnosed at birth or in the first week of life. Subjects with chromosomal anomalies or multiple defects were excluded. The sensitivity of ultrasound prenatal diagnosis was 49.5 per cent for central nervous system anomalies, 3.8 per cent for congenital heart diseases, 17.1 per cent for gastrointestinal tract defects, 46.6 per cent for abdominal wall defects, 74.8 per cent for urinary tract anomalies, and 22.9 per cent for skeletal abnormalities. The detection rate for diaphragmatic hernia was 24.2 per cent. Overall, only 18 per cent of the defects diagnosed in utero were detected before 24 weeks' gestation. The sensitivity of prenatal diagnosis was 30.1 and 19.0 per cent in the northern, central, and southern regions, respectively. In light of its low sensitivity, ultrasonography as a screening test in the general population should be abandoned, although some improvement in its performance should be expected following adequate training of the ultrasound staff and the use of good technical equipment.     

双桥山群的沉积环境和变形历史再探讨--以大背坞地区为例

在对大背坞地区双桥山群变质岩中“斑点构造”研究的基础上发现了同生碎屑-一种发育于沉积岩中反映动荡沉积环境的典型沉积构造，为进一步证实双桥山群属于半深海-深海的浊流相沉积环境特点提供重要依据，通过详细的构造变形分析，确认双桥山群主要经历了区域紧闭褶皱和韧性剪切两期构造变形，运用平衡剖面方法和应变测量估算双桥山群褶皱变形的地壳缩短量为71.6%，双桥山群地层层内压扁变形压缩率为23.1%～45.3%，在对大背钨韧性剪切带进行系统研究后，建立了一套浅变质碎屑中进变质韧性剪切带的识别标志，进而对该区韧性剪切带进行 划分和厘定，同时依据韧性剪切带中同生碎屑和同构造变斑晶的应变测量结果（Kxz值），估算出大背坞韧性剪切带剪应变（γ）为1.01～2.13、最大剪位移量为0.6～0.8km。结合区域构造演化分析，认为双桥山群褶皱变形形成于晋宁期，韧性剪切变形发生于燕山期，前者是扬子地块基底岩系形成时期，后者是鹅湖花岗岩侵位和隆升过程中引发的花岗岩外围地区变质岩的以垂向剪切运动为特征的韧性剪切变形作用。     

Detection of low-grade mosaicism in fetal cells isolated from maternal blood

Recovering and analysing fetal erythrocytes from maternal blood is being pursued for non-invasive prenatal genetic diagnosis. We report the observation of 46, XY/47, XXY mosaicism in fetal cells from a woman whose first-trimester chorionic villus sampling (CVS) initially showed only 46, XY. Only after exhaustive (500 cells) analysis were four XXY cells found in cultured villi.     

Flow sorting of fetal erythroblasts using intracytoplasmic anti-fetal haemoglobin: Preliminary observations on maternal samples

Monoclonal antibody to fetal haemoglobin (a₂γy₂) has been proposed as a fetal-specific reagent. We developed an intracellular staining protocol that combines fluorescein isothiocyanate or phycoerythrin conjugated anti-γ with the DNA binding dye Hoechst 33342 to identify and flow sort fetal erythroblasts from maternal blood. Our preliminary observations on anti-γ-positive cells sorted from four different pregnant women are described here, using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with chromosome-specific probes to identify fetal cells. Our data demonstrate that far fewer candidate fetal cells are sorted with this protocol than by current cell surface staining methods that employ the monoclonal antibody CD71. This results in increased fetal cell sorting purities. With this protocol, standard FISH techniques require modification due to the rigorous fixation with 4 per cent paraformaldehyde. Our initial data indicate the promise of this approach.     

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.