Alpha-thalassaemia prenatal diagnosis by two PCR-based methods

In Cyprus all couples carrying α⁰-thalassaemia mutations are detected in the course of the thalassaemia carrier screening program and prenatal diagnosis is offered to all of them. Prenatal diagnosis for α-thalassaemia is routinely done by two independent molecular methods. With the first method, the mutations of the parents are directly determined by gap-PCR and then the chorionic villus sample (CVS) is examined for the presence of these mutations. With the other method, a (CA)_n repeat polymorphic site located between the ψα₁- and α₂-globin genes is used for determining the presence or absence of the normal and mutant alleles. In the period from 1995 to 1999, molecular analysis of 46 couples in which haematological data were consistent with deletion of two α-globin genes in both partners indicated that only 13 of them were actually at risk for haemoglobin (Hb) Bart's hydrops fetalis and prenatal diagnosis was provided in 16 pregnancies. The molecular diagnosis was possible in all cases with the use of both gap-PCR and (CA)_n repeat polymorphisms analysis. No misdiagnosed cases for α-thalassaemia have been reported to date. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Maternal serum activin A and inhibin A in trisomy 18 pregnancies at 10–14 weeks

In 45 cases of trisomy 18 and 493 control pregnancies at 10–14 weeks of gestation, maternal serum inhibin A, total activin A, free β-hCG and PAPP-A were measured. In the trisomy 18 pregnancies the median values were 0.74 MoM for inhibin A, 1.23 MoM for activin A, 0.38 MoM for free β-hCG and 0.16 MoM for PAPP-A. The degree of deviation from normal in the levels of inhibin and activin is small in comparison with free β-hCG and PAPP-A and they are therefore unlikely to be of value in improving the sensitivity of 90% for a 1% false-positive rate achieved by screening with fetal nuchal translucency and maternal serum free β-hCG and PAPP-A. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

CuBr2分解缓释-膜催化对零价汞的氧化性能研究

以置于多孔陶瓷膜中的CuBr2受热分解所释放的Br2为氧化剂,利用膜催化装置对Hg0氧化效率进行研究,并设计反应-就地检测一体化装置,避免下游气体管壁效应对实验结果带来的影响.结果表明,MnO x/α-Al2O3催化膜对CuBr2分解所产生Br2的释放有较好的"缓释"作用.Hg0和Br2在催化膜表面的吸附和反应可用Langmuir-Hinshelwood机制描述.Hg0氧化效率随Br2浓度增大而升高,但在达到一定浓度后,Hg0和Br2的吸附速率及两者在催化膜表面的反应速率成为限速因素.473~573 K时Hg0氧化效率变化较稳定.烟气中SO2对Hg0氧化有一定抑制作用,NO无明显影响.     

铸铁还原氯乙酸的影响因素与机制研究

氯乙酸是地表水与饮用水中一种常见的微量氯代有机污染,具有致癌性,浓度较高时对人体健康会产生一定的危害.为了更经济地去除水体中的氯乙酸,研究了铸铁废料去除氯乙酸的可行性,讨论了铁类型、预处理方法,振荡方式以及溶解氧等条件对还原效果的影响.结果表明传质过程比铁类型与酸处理对氯乙酸还原速率的影响更大.铸铁无氧去除三氯乙酸(TCAA)的主要产物为二氯乙酸(DCAA)而有氧存在时为一氯乙酸(MCAA).在纵向翻转下铸铁对氯乙酸的去除过程符合伪一级动力学,TCAA、DCAA与MCAA的无氧速率常数分别为0.46 h-1、0.03 h-1与0,有氧速率常数依次为1.24 h-1、0.79 h-1与0.28 h-1.不同氧含量环境中铸铁对氯乙酸的去除机制不同,无氧时为连续氢解,有氧时可能包括连续氢解与直接转化过程.     

醌基氯甲基化聚苯乙烯的制备及废水生化处理应用

非水溶性介体厌氧生物催化技术是目前环境领域研究热点,通过Friedel-Crafts反应将5种醌基化合物接枝在氯甲基化聚苯乙烯大分子载体上.以1,4-萘醌为例,分别从反应温度、反应物摩尔比来研究其对载体接枝1,4-萘醌体系的影响,其中最佳的反应温度为78℃,最佳的反应物摩尔比为1,4-萘醌∶氯甲基聚苯乙烯=2∶1.通过傅里叶红外光谱分析,醌基基团成功地接枝在了大分子骨架氯甲基化聚苯乙烯上.制备的5种醌基材料作为非水溶性氧化还原介体能催化提高生物反硝化速率和偶氮染料脱色,同时在偶氮染料的生物降解中表现了良好的循环使用性.此研究开拓了醌基功能材料的制备新路径和介体催化技术新方向.     

催化氧化NO催化剂Mn/ZrO2的制备与性能研究

以二氧化锆为载体负载锰氧化物,制备了MnO x/ZrO2催化剂用于催化氧化法(SCO)脱除烟气NO,考察了制备条件和反应条件对催化剂SCO活性的影响.同时,采用N2吸附、SEM、XRD及XPS等手段对催化剂理化性质进行了表征.结果表明,采用等体积浸渍法,以硝酸锰作为前驱体制备的Mn8/ZrO2/450催化剂在300℃、空速15000 h-1条件下,NO转化率可达84%,表现出较好的NO氧化活性.催化剂的主要活性组分为MnO2,在催化剂载体表面上呈现出较好的分散度.对催化剂进行了NO等温吸附与程序升温脱附,结合程序升温表面反应(TPSR)实验,探讨了催化剂表面NO催化氧化机理.研究发现,NO在该催化剂表面主要以吸附态反应,在含氧气氛中吸附态NO的氧化速率高于脱附速率,表面NO2的脱附峰温与最佳SCO活性温度相吻合.上述结果表明,NO转化过程速率受氧化产物NO2的脱附步骤控制,表面反应为快速步骤.     

掺硼金刚石电极处理榨菜废水试验研究

掺硼金刚石(BDD)电极在电化学氧化难生物降解性废水时具有电化学性能良好、处理效果好等特点,因而受到广泛关注.本试验采用BDD电极电化学氧化榨菜废水,并考察了稀释比、初始pH值、电流密度、极板间距等参数对COD、氨氮(NH3-N)去除率的影响.试验结果表明:在稀释比为1∶2、电流密度50 mA·cm-2、未调节pH值、极板间距为15 mm的最优工况下,COD、NH3-N去除率分别为96.9%、100%.COD去除率满足线性方程y=0.435t(R2=0.9899),NH3-N去除率满足多项式拟合方程y=0.53+0.936t+0.031t2-3.46×10-4t3(R2=0.9956).研究表明,BDD电极电化学氧化榨菜废水是一种有效的高级氧化工艺.     

水传病原微生物PCR-纳米金显色快速检测方法

水传病原微生物是腹泻等肠胃疾病发病的主要原因,而发展快速、有效的检测方法对于控制和减少该类微生物的传播风险十分重要.因此,本文研究了PCR反应结合不修饰的纳米金颗粒(Gold nano-particles,AuNPs)显色检测方法的最佳盐浓度、探针含量、PCR反应条件等,并从纳米金制备、病原菌种类、检测特异性等方面进行考核,确定了最优检测条件为:10μL PCR扩增产物混合20 pmol探针,95℃反应5 min,55.5℃反应3 min后,40℃杂交10 min;此时,先后加入90μL实验用纳米金和一定浓度的PBS溶液,室温观察颜色变化.结果发现,纳米金溶液由红色变为紫色或近于无色为阳性结果,对应的吸光度值迁移出530 nm,以此可达到快速检测病原微生物的目的.