First trimester maternal serum placenta growth factor (PIGF)concentrations in pregnancies with fetal trisomy 21 or trisomy 18

Placenta growth factor (PIGF), an angiogenic factor belonging to the vascular endothelial growth factor family, pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) and free β-human chorionic gonadotrophin (β-hCG) were measured in maternal serum from 45 pregnancies with trisomy 21, 45 with trisomy 18 and 493 normal controls at 10–13 completed weeks of gestation. In the normal pregnancies maternal serum PIGF levels increased exponentially with gestation. The median multiple of the median (MoM) PIGF concentration in the trisomy 21 group (1.26 MoM) was significantly higher (p<0.0001) than in the control group (1.00 MoM). In the trisomy 18 group the median PIGF was lower (0.889 MoM) but this did not quite reach significance (p=0.064). The corresponding median MoM values for PAPP-A were 1.00 MoM for the controls, 0.49 MoM for trisomy 21 and 0.16 MoM for trisomy 18. The median MoM values for free β-hCG were 1.00 MoM for the controls, 2.05 MoM for trisomy 21 and 0.38 MoM for trisomy 18. In the control group there was a small but significant correlation of PIGF with free β-hCG (r=+0.1024) and PAPP-A (r=+0.2288). In the trisomy 18 group there was a significant association between PIGF and free β-hCG (r=+0.2629) but not with PAPP-A (r=+0.0038). In the trisomy 21 group there was a small but significant association with PAPP-A (r=+0.1028) but not with free β-hCG (r=+0.0339). The separation of affected and unaffected pregnancies in maternal serum PIGF is small, and therefore it is unlikely that measurement of PIGF would improve screening for these abnormalities provided by the combination of fetal nuchal translucency and maternal serum PAPP-A and free β-hCG. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantitation of Hydroxyl Radicals from Photolysis of Fe(III)-Citrate Complexes in Aerobic Water (5 pp)

Background For their high photoreactivity, Fe(III)-carboxylate complexes are important sources of H2O2 for some atmospheric and surface waters. Citrate is one kind of carboxylate, which can form complexes with Fe(III). In our previous study, we have applied Fe(III)-citrate complexes to degrade and decolorize dyes in aqueous solutions both under UV light and sunlight. Results have shown that carboxylic acids can promote the photodegradation efficiency. It is indicated that the photolysis of Fe(III)-citrate complexes may cause the formation of some reactive species (e. g. H2O2 and ·OH). This work is attempted to quantify hydroxyl radicals generated in the aqueous solution containing Fe(III)-citrate complexes and to interpret the photoreactivity of Fe(III)-citrate complexes for degrading organic compounds. Methods By using benzene as the scavenger to produce phenol, the photogeneration of ·OH in the aqueous solution containing Fe (III)-citrate complexes was determined by HPLC. Results and Discussion In the aqueous solution containing 60.0/30.0 mM Fe(III)/citrate and 7.0 mM benzene at pH 3.0, 96.66 mM ·OH was produced after irradiation by a 250W metal halide light (l ≥ 313 nm) for 160 minutes. Effects of initial pH value and concentrations of Fe(III) and citrate on ·OH radical generation were all examined. The results show that the greatest photoproduction of ·OH in the aqueous solution (pH ranged from 3.0 to 7.0) was at pH 3.0. The photoproduction of ·OH increased with increasing Fe(III) or citrate concentrations. Conclusion In the aqueous solutions containing Fe(III)-citrate complexes, ·OH radicals were produced after irradiation by a 250W metal halide light. It can be concluded that Fe(III)-citrate complexes are important sources of ·OH radicals for some atmospheric and surface waters. Recommendations and Outlook It is believed that the photolysis of Fe(III)-citrate complexes in the presence of oxygen play an important role in producing ·OH both in atmospheric waters and surface water where high concentrations of ferric ions and citrate ions exist. The photoproduction of ·OH has a high oxidizing potential for the degradation of a wide variety of natural and anthropogenic organic and inorganic substances. We can use this method for toxic organic pollutants such as organic dyes and pesticides.     

南京及邻近地区新近沉积土的动剪切模量和阻尼比的试验研究

通过对南京及其邻近地区漫滩相成因的粘土、粉质粘土、淤泥质粉质粘土、粉质粘土与粉砂互层土、粉土、粉细砂等 6类新近沉积土的自振柱试验 ,详细探讨了围压大小、剪应变水平、土的颗粒组成和结构性对这 6类新近沉积土的剪切模量G及阻尼比λ的影响。通过与Seed和Idriss建议的砂土G/Gmax～γ和λ～γ曲线变化范围的对比 ,结果表明 ,不能将粉质粘土与粉砂互层土简单地当作砂土或粉质粘土对待。通过试验和理论分析 ,给出了南京及其邻近地区 6类新近沉积土动剪切模量和阻尼比随剪应变变化的平均曲线的拟合曲线、包络线及其参数的推荐值 ,对实际工程具有一定的借鉴作用     

Decontamination of Cr(VI) facilitated formation of persistent free radicals on rice husk derived biochar

PFRs were produced on biochar during Cr(VI) decontamination. PFRs formation on biochar was owing to the oxidization of phenolic-OH by Cr(VI). Appearance of excessive oxidant led to the consumption of PFRs on biochar. Biochar charred at high temperature possessed great performance to Cr(VI) removal. This study investigated the facilitation of Cr(VI) decontamination to the formation of persistent free radicals (PFRs) on rice husk derived biochar. It was found that Cr(VI) remediation by biochar facilitated the production of PFRs, which increased with the concentration of treated Cr(VI). However, excessive Cr(VI) would induce their decay. Biochar with high pyrolysis temperature possessed great performance to Cr(VI) removal, which was mainly originated from its reduction by biochar from Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. And the corresponding generation of PFRs on biochar was primarily ascribed to the oxidization of phenolic hydroxyl groups by Cr(VI) from Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy analysis, which was further verified by the H₂O₂ treatment experiments. The findings of this study will help to illustrate the transformation of reactive functional groups on biochar and provide a new insight into the role of biochar in environmental remediation.     

The use of nanovermiculite catalyst in the study of removal of the organic load and degradation of atrazine via ozone process in RPB reactor

Abstract

The main objective of this study is the degradation of a synthetic solution of atrazine by a modified vermiculite catalyzed ozonation, in a rotating packed bed (RPB) reactor. A 0.5?L RPB reactor was used to perform the experiments, using a Central Composite Design (CCD) response surface to construct the quadratic model based on the factors: pH, catalyst concentration and reactor rotation frequency. The response variable was the removal of the organic load measured in terms of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). After the complete quadratic model was constructed through the response surface, the COD degradation process had an optimal removal of 41% under the following conditions: pH 8.0, rotation of 1150?rpm and catalyst concentration 0.66?g L^?1.     

On the parameterization of the roughness length for the air-sea interface in free convection

The roughness length at the air-sea interface during free convection (z_0fc) is mainly related to the convective velocity (w_*) rather than the friction velocity (u_*). The parameterization of z_0fc with w _* ² /g as proposed by Abdella and DAlessio in 2003 is evaluated. It is shown that their proposed formula is consistent with field measurements. In order to avoid self-correlation by using u_*, a new parameterization of w_* with wind speed (U_z) at height z and stability parameter (z/L, where L is the buoyancy length) is proposed. This new formula for w_* is in agreement with an independent field result.     

吸烟气相物质引起的脂质过氧化的研究

本文用吸烟气相物质作用于卵磷脂形成的脂质体及人多形核白细胞,用TBA法和共轭二烯法检测吸烟气相物质作用下的脂质过氧化水平,结果发现,随着吸烟气相物质作用时间的延长,MDA和共轭二烯的含量也随之增大。表明吸烟气相物质能够引起脂质过氧化反应。     

Hg2+胁迫下玉米生理生态变化的研究

通过砂培实验,研究汞胁迫下玉米的生理生态指标包括叶绿素含量、根系活力、游离脯氨酸含量的变化.结果表明,汞对玉米的胁迫是浓度和时间双重因子的作用在低汞浓度、短时间内,叶绿素含量、根系活力及游离脯氨酸含量均有上升的趋势;在高汞浓度、长时间内,各生理指标均严重下降.各生理指标对汞的敏感度略有差异游离脯氨酸含量>根系活力>叶绿素含量;其中脯氨酸含量可以作为汞污染的一个监测指标.