Contribution of a New PCR assay to the prenatal diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay has been developed for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii. The target sequence (88 bp) is part of a rDNA repetitive gene. A signal can be observed with only one parasite. It is directly and rapidly detected by electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining. We report a prospective study of 80 documented cases of toxoplasmic seroconversions during pregnancy. The PCR assay of the amniotic fluids was compared with the current standard methods for diagnosis of fetal infection. Seventy specimens gave no PCR signal, and were negative according to prenatal tests and postnatal examinations. The presence of T. gondii was detected in ten specimens by PCR analysis. Four were confirmed by isolation of the parasite from the amniotic fluid; four by biological study of the fetal blood. For the remaining two, infection was diagnosed after birth. Together with ultrasonographic and biological data, this technique permits prenatal diagnosis within 1 day.     

Environmentally conscious long-range planning and design of supply chain networks

In this paper, a mathematical programming-based methodology is presented for the explicit inclusion of life cycle assessment (LCA) criteria as part of the strategic investment decisions related to the design and planning of supply chain networks. By considering the multiple environmental concerns together with the traditional economic criteria, the planning task is formulated as a multi-objective optimization problem. Over a long-range planning horizon, the methodology utilizes mixed integer modelling techniques to address strategic decisions involving the selection, allocation and capacity expansion of processing technologies and assignment of transportation links required to satisfy the demands at the markets. At the operational level, optimal production profiles and flows of material between various components within the supply chain are determined. As such, the formulation presented here combines the elements of the classical plant location and capacity expansion problems with the principles of LCA to develop a quantitative decision-support tool for environmentally conscious strategic investment planning.     

焦炭产业生态化建设研究——以孝义焦炭产业为例

孝义市焦炭产业在规模不断壮大的同时,面临着严重的资源浪费和环境污染问题.本文应用代谢分析方法对产业链中主要元素碳和元素硫进行代谢分析,找出元素代谢关键环节,为焦炭产业生态链设计提供依据.在此基础上,依据循环经济理念和工业生态理论构建出孝义焦炭产业生态工业网络体系,指明孝义焦炭产业未来发展方向.     

工业园区循环经济发展规划研究

文章以吉林经济开发区为研究对象,通过分析开发区产业内部及产业间的联系现状,为其制定符合循环经济3R原则的产业发展规划,对规划过程中出现的问题进行了探讨,并提出了应对政策和保障措施,为其他工业园区的循环经济型规划提供参考。     

Problems in prenatal diagnosis of β-thalassaemia by fetal blood analysis: β-chain variant comigrating with gamma chains

This report describes a couple at risk for β thalassaemia in which one spouse was heterozygous for classical high Hb A2 β-thalassaemia while the other had the compound heterozygous state for β⁺-thalassaemia and a β-chain variant. This variant comigrates on carboxymethyl-cellulose columns (CMC) with γ-chains, indicating that globin separation on CMC columns could not have been used for fetal diagnosis. The β-chain variant migrates separately from the other globin chains on HPLC and the respective abnormal haemoglobin can be separated by isoelectrofocusing. Oligonucleotide hybridization showed that both parents were carriers of the β⁺ IVS-1, nt 6 mutation. Prenatal diagnosis was successfully accomplished by oligo-nucleotide analysis on trophoblast DNA. This case indicates that an Antenatal Service should have alternative methods to CMC columns so as to carry out prenatal diagnosis of β-thalassaemia in uncommon cases.     

辽宁省有机食品产业发展现状与对策

介绍了我省有机食品的发展现状和当前有机食品产业在我省发展中存在的主要问题，针对我省有机食品中存在的问题提出了解决措施，并指明了我省今后有机食品的发展的方向和策略。     

中国人不会使世界挨饿

本文通过对中国国土资源食物生产潜力的比较全面、系统的分析,认为中国只要举国上下支持、保护和发展农业,强化国家对农业的主导作用,建立食物安全保障体系,认真执行＂米袋子＂省长负责制,加大对农业特别是对科技的投入力度,面向国土,开发国土,充分、合理利用国土,并相应地建立起具有中国特色的包括耕地、草地、林地、海洋和野生生物资源的食物来源的五大生产体系、符合中国国情的、具有浓厚东方色彩的消费体系、节粮体系以及推行人口计划控制政策,虽农业发展具有艰巨性,但前景依然是光明的。跨越新世纪,中国人定能养活中国人,中国人不会使世界挨饿。     

新疆核试验场周围地区主要食品中~(90)Sr(锶)、~(137)Cs(铯)水平及其所致居民剂量

本文报道了新疆核试验场周围地区9个调查区17种主要食品中~(90)Sr、~(137)Cs含量分别为1.1～72.3,0.3～40.7×10~(-2)B_q·Kg~(-1);3个对照区分别为1.6～68.4,0.6～27.4×10~(-2)B_q·K_g~(-1)。两地区同类食品中~(90)Sr、~(137)Cs平均含量基本一致。调查区~(90)Sr、~(137)Cs所致成年居民有效剂量当量值分别为2μSV(集体剂量当量为30.0人· SV);0.3μSV(4.5人· SV)。对照区分别为2.2μSV(集体剂量当量为20.9人·SV);0.4μSV(3.0人·SV)。可见我国核试验产生的~(90)Sr、~(137)Cs对核试验场周围地区食品没有造成明显的局部污染,所致居民剂量当量负担仅为我国天然外照射所致年有效剂量当量(952μSV)的0.2％和0.03％。对该地区的广大居民健康不会产生有害的影响。     

In vitro amplification of the α1-antitrypsin gene: Application to prenatal diagnosis

Discrimination of the M, Z, and S alleles of α₁-antritrypsin (AAT) has been carried out using in vitro gene amplification with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Amplification of 90 nucleotides surrounding the Z mutation site and 120 nucleotides surrounding the S mutation site dramatically improves the sensitivity and reliability of allele-specific oligonucleotide (ASO) hybridization for direct detection of these alleles. Analysis is performed using Southern blots or dot blots hybridized with 19 base oligonucleotides and differentially washed for allele specificity. Amplification of the Z and S mutation sites can be combined in one PCR to allow detection of both mutations when analysed by gel electrophoresis and Southern transfer. This technique can be performed reliably using less than 0·1 μg of genomic DNA or less than 100 amniocytes or white blood cells. This technique has been used to perform prenatal diagnosis on a chorionic villus sample (CVS) in a fetus at risk for the ZZ Pi type form of AAT deficiency.     

Negative effects of Microcystis blooms on the crustacean plankton in an enclosure experiment in the subtropical China

IntroductionCyanobacteria(i .e .Microcystis aeruginosa) blooms arefrequently associated withchanges of zooplanktoncommunity.Fewzooplanktons can use bloom-formingMicrocystisdirectlybecause of nutritional deficiencies ( Arnold, 1971 ) ,inedibility( Webster …