Amniotic fluid microvillar enzyme activities in the early detection of fetal abnormalities

Measurement of the microvillar enzymes, γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGTP), aminopeptidase M (APM) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), in amniotic fluid supernatant has been proposed as a method for the early prenatal diagnosis of cystic fibrosis. The activities of these enzymes in a series of other fetal abnormalities have now been examined. GGTP activities were below the 5th percentile in 28 out of 54 cases of trisomy 21 and 9 of 14 cases of trisomy 18, while APM values were below this cut-off in 26 of 54 cases of trisomy 21 and 8 of 14 cases of trisomy 18. Abnormal ALP isoenzyme ratios were found in 6 of 54 cases of trisomy 21 and 4 of 14 cases of trisomy 18. If prenatal cytogenetic studies are routinely carried out on amniotic fluid cells, the occasional confounding effect of abnormal microvillar enzymes associated with fetal trisomies rather than with cystic fibrosis should be avoided.     

Prenatal diagnosis of inherited metabolic disorders by quantitation of characteristic metabolites in amniotic fluid: Facts and future

An attempt is made to summarize as completely as possible what is known about the prenatal diagnosis of amino– and organic acidurias by direct measurement of characteristic metabolites in amniotic fluid, and to indicate which disorders can potentially be diagnosed prenatally by direct quantitation of metabolites. Furthermore, the disorders are mentioned in which the prenatal diagnosis was proven to be unsuccessful by this approach. The prenatal diagnoses of a case of propionic acidemia and a case of tyrosinemia type I in the 11th and 12th week of gestational age, respectively, are reported and the prospects of performing amniocentesis in the first trimester for prenatal diagnosis are discussed.     

Stimulation of human amniotic fluid cell proliferation and colony formation by cell plating on a naturally produced extracellular matrix

Human amniotic fluid cells exhibit a higher cloning efficiency and rate of cell proliferation when maintained on dishes coated with a naturally produced extracellular matrix (ECM) in comparison with the regular tissue culture plastic. In 22 out of 31 amniotic fluid samples there was by plating the cells on ECM a 2–6 fold increase in number and size of colonies and in the cell density per colony as detected by actual staining and viewing of each colony. These effects yielded, in 21 of 41 additional samples, a reduction ranging from 2–8 days, in the culture time elapsing between amniocentesis and the first harvesting of cells for chromosomal analysis. An even greater effect was obtained with primary cells that failed to attach to plastic surfaces and stayed floating in the medium but did attach and proliferate when seeded on ECM. Cells that were left firmly attached to ECM after the first trypsinization and harvesting of cells for chromosomal analysis yielded colonies ready for second karyotyping in less than half the time required for cells maintained on plastic. Studies with secondary cultures of human amniotic fluid cells have demonstrated a 5–10 fold decrease in serum requirement of cells cultured on ECM as compared with plastic. Addition of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) to the cultures further potentiated the effects of ECM. The ECM induced stimulation of cell attachment and proliferation was not associated with any chromosomal anomalies, nor did it interfere with the handling procedure. ECM coated dishes may be useful to reduce the time interval between amniocentesis and diagnosis, in particular when the amniotic cells exhibit an exceedingly slow rate of proliferation on plastic or when large quantities of cells are required for enzymatic studies.     

Prenatal detection of cystic fibrosis; comparative study of maltase and alkaline phosphatase activities in amniotic fluid

The potential value of microvillar enzymes in the prenatal diagnosis of cystic fibrosis (CF) has previously been demonstrated and is corroborated in the present comparative study. Maltase and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities were studied in the amniotic fluids of 57 pregnancies with a 1 in 4 risk for CF or with a known CF outcome and in 489 controls. A simple assay for maltase activity (MU-maltase) with the fluorogenic substate 4-methylumbelliferyl α-glucoside, offers great technical advantages and an at least equal detection rate of CF, when compared to the previously used test with maltose as substrate. Intestinal ALP was estimated either as phenylalanine inhibitable activity (PI-ALP) or as the proportions of residual activity in the presence of the inhibitors phenylalanine or homoarginine. MU-maltase and PI-ALP appeared the most successful methods: both tests were able to detect 14 of the 16 (88 per cent) pregnancies with fetal CF. Each of the two tests alone also allowed a correct prediction in 24 of the 25 pregnancies at risk but with normal outcome; however all 25 cases could be correctly predicted by a combined evaluation. It is suggested that more than one intestinal enzyme activity should be evaluated to allow optimal results in the prenatal monitoring of pregnancies at high risk for CF.     

Chemical analysis of succinylacetone and 4-hydroxyphenyllactate in amniotic fluid using selective ion monitoring

A method for the measurement of the concentration of succinylacetone and 4-hydroxyphenyllactic acid in amniotic fluid was developed for the prenatal diagnosis of hereditary tyrosinemia. Succinylacetone was converted to 5-methyl-3-isoxazolepropionic acid and isolated with 4-hydroxyphenyllactic acid by liquid partition chromatography and the trimethylsilyl derivatives quantified by ammonia chemical ionization selected ion monitoring gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with 2-hydroxy-n-caproic acid as the internal standard. The concentration of 4-hydroxyphenyllactic acid in normal amniotic fluid was 1.97±0.75 (S.D.) μmol/l while succinylacetone was undetectable. A pregnancy at risk for tyrosinemia type II was monitored. The concentration of 4- hydroxyphenyllactic acid was within the normal range and a healthy child was born.     

隐爆角砾岩筒型矿床成矿流体演化趋势曲线特征

阐述了隐爆角砾岩筒型矿床及其成矿过程中的隐爆流体演化趋势曲线的一般特征,在此基础上,讨论了凹山铁矿床、祁雨沟金矿床、七宝山铜金矿床等典型矿床的矿体产出特征与隐爆流体演化趋势曲线之间存在的耦合关系,结合隐爆角砾岩筒型矿床成矿流体演化的一般特征和特殊情况,对轻微剥蚀岩筒、中等剥蚀岩筒和深度剥蚀岩筒的成矿性进行了分析。     

油藏流体状态方程研究与应用

油藏流体状态方程研究具有重要的理论和现实意义 ,它将成为流体热力学研究的一个新的生长点。论文从流体状态方程的推导方法、影响因素、主要类型等方面较系统地论述了油藏流体状态方程的研究思路和发展方向。并且从含油气系统中烃类相态的判断、油气藏类型的识别以及确定储层质量评价的物理化学模型等方面总结了其研究成果的应用进展。它将为油气藏成藏机理物理化学模型的建立和合理开发方案的制定提供新的工具     

The association of congenital skin disorders with acetylcholinesterase in amniotic fluid

We describe a fetus with epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica and a fetus with aplasia cutis congenita who were normal by careful ultrasound examination but whose midtrimester amniotic fluids exhibited elevated concentrations of alpha-fetoprotein and presence of acetyl-cholinesterase. These cases show that serious fetal skin pathology can be a source of amniotic fluid acetylcholinesterase and elevated alpha-fetoprotein concentration and should be considered as part of the differential diagnosis of these amniotic fluid findings.     

Discordance between prenatal cytogenetic diagnosis and outcome of pregnancy

From 1.3.73 to 30.9.80 5580 women had an amniocentesis performed here or elsewhere; fetal chromosome analyses were carried out in this laboratory. We found 112 abnormal karyotypes (2 per cent) out of 5591 chromosome analyses. In 40 women (0.7 per cent) no cytogenetic diagnosis was obtained. Follow-up was successful in 99.5 per cent. Nine cases are reported in detail: Three cases had discrepancy between the karyotype in amniotic fluid and peripheral blood after delivery, two of these cases turned out to be 46,XX (male) while the third was prenatally determined as trisomy 21, but had a 46,XX karyotype at birth. Six cases had discrepancy between the karyotype in amniotic fluid and the phenotypic outcome at birth/abortion. One case was a prenatally undetected 45,X/46,XY mosaicism; one case was an unexplained 45,X male fetus; two cases were prenatally determined as trisomy 21, but at abortion a normal karyotype was determined and in two cases maternal cells were probably examined. The incidence of cytogeneric errors in this study was very low.     

平溪特大桥滑坡滑动机理分析与研究

平溪特大桥滑坡是贵州省近年来发生的严重地质灾害,本文采用过程机制法和有限单元法相结合的分析手段,重点研究了该滑坡产生的机理和坡体变形破坏的演变过程,希望对山区公路建设中的滑坡防治工程有所帮助。