Serum alpha-fetoprotein and neural tube defects in the first trimester of pregnancy

As part of the Medical Research Council randomized trial of vitamin supplementation in the prevention of neural tube defects (NTDs), maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was available for 19 NTD pregnancies. Each of these was matched with four unaffected controls, by maternal age, participating centre, and duration of sample storage. The samples came from women whose gestational age ranged from 6 to 14 completed weeks. The median AFP level in the affected pregnancies was 1·2 multiples of the median value in unaffected pregnancies of the same gestational age (95 per cent confidence interval (CI) 0·83–1·59). This confirmed the view that serum AFP measurement is of no practical value in the detection of NTDs in the first trimester of pregnancy. The study also showed that folic acid supplementation, used as a method of preventing NTDs, had no effect on the concentrations of maternal serum AFP up to 14 weeks of pregnancy.     

多种染料的微生物脱色研究

从印染、毛纺等废水处理场的生物膜和活性污泥中分离到13株对36种染料有脱色能力的细菌。其中三株转化单胞菌D_(32),D_(33),D_4分别对29种染料有良好的脱色作用,其完整细胞对单一染料的脱色活力达2.6mg·g~(-1)(细胞湿重)·h~(-1)。对脱色反应的条件和机理进行了初探。     

The 48,XXYY syndrome: A case detected by maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening

A 17-year-old woman was referred for amniocentesis due to a low maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) concentration in a voluntary screening test. The fetal karyotype was 48,XXYY, and the pregnancy was terminated. Autopsy of the fetus disclosed agenesis of the corpus callosum and unusual facial features.     

Study on nitrile-degrading microorganisms

Two strains of bacteria were isolated from nitrile polluted soils, and identified as Corynebacterium boffmanii and Arthrobacter flavescens. Acetonitrile, propionitrile, butyronitrile and acrylonitrile were degraded by these bacteria to yield corresponding amides, carboxylic acids and ammonia. The nitrile-degrading abilities of these strains were investigated. The removal rates for the nitrile were nearly 100%, after these bacteria were grown in medium containing 10000 ppm of aceto-, propio-, or butyronitrile at 28 ℃ for 24h. When the reaction mkture consisting of 5000 ppm of above mentioned nitriles or acrylonitrile and 20g (dry cell) /L resting cells of the two strains in 0.06mol/L phosphate buffer (pH7.5) was incubated separately at 25 ℃ with moderate shaking for 15 or 45 min, the nitrile could be degraded completely. The optimum growth conditions for C.hoffmanii and A.flavescens were studied as well.     

Prenatal screening and diagnosis of neural tube defects in England and Wales in 1985

A survey was carried out to determine the effect of prenatal screening and therapeutic abortion on births in 1985 with anencephaly and spina bifida in England and Wales. Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein tests were done on 399 288 women (60 per cent of pregnant women): 4 per cent were reported as being screen-positive and 1 per cent had an amniocentesis. An estimated 534 pregnancies associated with anencephaly were terminated and an estimated 445 pregnancies associated with spina bifida (but without anencephaly) were terminated. Most (63 per cent) of the anencephalic pregnancies were first suspected from an ultrasound examination; 57 per cent of the spina bifida pregnancies were first suspected from a positive maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein test, 35 per cent by ultrasound, and the remaining 8 per cent by other means. The birth prevalence of anencephaly declined by 94 per cent between 1964–1972 and 1985, but when the terminations of pregnancy on account of having a fetus with anencephaly are added to the births the decline in prevalence was only 50 per cent. The birth prevalence of spina bifida declined by 68 per cent over the same period but when the terminations were added to the births the decline in prevalence was only 32 per cent. Among births with anencephaly 66 per cent had had no screening or diagnostic tests in early pregnancy, but in those that did nearly all were positive–usually in twin pregnancies where one fetus was affected but not the other. Among births with spina bifida, 48 per cent had no tests and in those that did the results were mainly negative. We conclude that in order to monitor adequately the national screening programme for anencephaly and spina bifida a special neural tube defects register should be formed.     

铜离子冲击下活性污泥微生物多样性的分子生态学分析

采用基于 16SrDNA序列分析方法 ,在长度多态 (LPM)和 16SrDNA的GC含量二维水平分析了受重金属污染的活性污泥系统内细菌的优势种类和多样性 .设计的PCR引物可以将细菌分为三大类 :即 1)proteobacterialα&δ(变形杆菌α&δ) ,2 )pro teobacterialβ&γ(变形杆菌 β&γ) ,以及 3)flexibacter(屈桡杆菌 )和革兰氏阳性菌 .分析了未受重金属驯化和受重金属驯化的两类活性污泥系统在重金属作用下优势种和多样性的变化 ,结果显示未驯化的活性污泥系统多样性减少但优势种的变化微小 ,而驯化系统优势种有较大的变化 ,但多样性基本不变 .这一结果证实驯化有助于提高微生物对重金属的抗性     

Attitudes to prenatal screening,diagnosis and research among pregnant women who accept or decline an alpha-fetoprotein test

The aim of the study was to describe the opinion of pregnant women who had accepted or declined an alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test, not only on AFP screening in general, but also on whether every pregnant woman should be offered amniocentesis (AC)/chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and an ultrasound scan for fetal malformations. An additional aim was to describe pregnant women's attitudes concerning continued research in the prenatal field. The study was performed as a questionnaire study in two regions over a 1-year period from 1 October 1988 to 30 September 1989. Results are based on answers from 3331 women who had taken an AFP test and 336 women who had declined the offer of a test. A total of 79 per cent of the women thought that an AFP test, 70 per cent that an ultrasound scan for fetal malformations, and 26 per cent that AC or CVS should be offered to all pregnant women. Fifty-nine per cent of the women were positive towards continued research in the prenatal field. Women who had had an AFP test were generally much more positive towards screening and research than women who had declined, who were generally against. Women who had left school without a high school degree were on average more positive towards the screening issues than women who had this degree. In conclusion, the results obtained in this study strongly suggest that women's attitudes are very dependent on how the prenatal screening programme is already organized in their local area.     

Enhanced twin pregnancy detection within an open neural tube defect and down syndrome screening protocol using free-beta hCG and AFP

We have applied our multimarker approach of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and free-beta human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) for Down syndrome screening to multiple gestations to assess its efficacy for improved detection of twin and triplet pregnancies. This study matched 225 cases of twin pregnancy and 39 cases of triplet pregnancy each with ten singleton pregnancies based on gestational week, race, time to receive sample, time of year of sample, and geographical area. The ratios of the MOM for each group at the tenth, 50th, and 90th percentiles were compared by the Wilcoxon test. Risks for twins were calculated using Bayes' rule, the age-related incidence of twins, and the levels of AFP and free-beta hCG. The tenth, 50th, and 90th percentiles of free-beta hCG MOMs in twin and triplet cases were 0.85, 1.99, and 4.51, and 1.38, 2.78, and 4.07, respectively. For AFP, the MOMs at these percentiles were 1.26, 1.91, and 2.99, and 2.02, 2.68, and 5.30, respectively. The twin and triplet distributions for each marker were statistically significantly different from the singleton distributions (P<0.0001) and from each other (P=0.0012). At a twin risk cut-off of 1 in 50, 77.4 per cent of all twin gestations can be detected in a second-trimester AFP and free-beta hCG screening protocol with 5.1 per cent of singleton pregnancies falsely identified as at risk for twins. Our dual marker protocol for mid-trimester pregnancy screening combining AFP and free-beta hCG can identify over 77 per cent of twin pregnancies in women less than 35 years of age. This benefit may contribute to an improved outcome of pregnancy by early detection of multiple gestation.     

First-trimester free beta (hCG) screening for Down syndrome

Maternal serum free beta (hCG) levels are elevated (median 2·20 MOM) in the first trimester of pregnancy in 38 Down syndrome cases as compared with appropriate controls. This observation may form the basis for its use as a marker in screening for Down syndrome in the first trimester. Altered levels of the free beta analyte are observed in pregnancy conditions or complications other than Down syndrome.     

甲氰菊酯在土壤中的降解与移动性

采用模拟试验和田间试验相结合的方法,研究了甲氰菊酯在南方菜地土壤中的降解和移动.得出了一些基本数据,为甲氰菊酯在菜地(旱地)生态中的安全使用,提出了合理的评价.