Prenatal diagnosis of thalassemia major by fetal blood analysis: Experience with 1000 cases

In this report we have summarized our experience with the prenatal diagnosis of β-thalassemia in 1000 pregnancies followed at least until 12 months after birth. In the majority of these cases, the thalassemia lesion was the nonsense mutation at the codon corresponding to amino acid 39, which produces the hematological phenotype of β-thalassemia. Fetal blood sampling was carried out by placental aspiration, by which a sufficient amount of fetal blood for analysis was obtained in the majority of cases (99 per cent). The fetal mortality associated with fetal blood sampling was 6·3 per cent. Those placental samples contaminated by maternal cells were successfully purified by Ørskov lysis. Fetal blood was analysed by globin chain synthesis on CM–52 columns, which gave reliable results. Two misdiagnoses (0·2 per cent) have been made of which one was due to a non-globin protein co-migrating with the β-chains while the other resulted from a misclassification of the type of thalassemia segregating in the family.     

Evaluation of a prenatal screening procedure for β-thalassaemia carriers in a chinese populationbased on the mean corpuscular volume (MCV)

Haemoglobin A₂ (HbA₂) levels were determined on 25 β-thalassaemia carriers by the microcolumn method and were found to range from 4.5–7.2 per cent (mean 5.2±0.82 S.D.). The haemoglobin level (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), plasma ferritin and HbA₂ levels were measured on a further 299 cconsecutive Chinese pregnant women at a gestation of less than 24 weeks. 18 patients (6 per cent) had HbA₂ level greater than 4.5 per cent and were diagnosed to be β-thalassaemic carriers. It was observed that all these patients had a MCV below 75 fl. If this level is selected in a screening procedure based on measurement of MCV alone all β-thalassaemia carriers could be detected and 11 per cent of the population screened would require HbA₂ estimation. At a lower cut-off level of 70 fl, 8 per cent of the population screened wouid require HbA₂ measurement (a decrease of 27 per cent) but the detection rate will be lowered considerably (83 per cent). The high false positive rate at all cut-off levels of MCV was largely due to the prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in the population. Estimation of plasma ferritin level in patients with low MCV will reduce this false positive rate, but there will be a considerable delay in diagnosis in patients with concomitant iron deficiency and β-thalassaemia. The presence of iron deficiency in β-thalassaemia carriers did not reduce their HbA₂ level below the diagnostic range in this study. Measurement of Hb level did not appear to be useful as a screening method since one third of the β-thalassaemia carriers had a Hb level over 11 g/dl. The validity of the MCV cut-off levels derived from the first part of the study was assessed in screening a larger population. 61 β-thalassaemia carriers (6 per cent) were detected out of 1166 patients screened. This incidence was not significantly different from the first part of the study. All these 61 patients had a MCV less than 75 ml. It was concluded that a two-step screening policy, based on MCV measurement followed by HbA₂ estimation when the MCV value is less than 75 fl, is suitable for our population. It is efficient, straight forward with excellent sensitivity and required less time and effort for both laboratory staff and clinicians.     

Hp-β-环糊精包络臭氧氧化去除水中PPCPs研究

为提高臭氧的稳定性,采用臭氧化Hp-β-环糊精溶液的方法对臭氧进行包络。考察了臭氧/Hp-β-环糊精包络物的氧化特性,臭氧化量和Hp-β-环糊精浓度对臭氧/Hp-β-环糊精包络物氧化能力的影响,并研究了臭氧/Hp-β-环糊精包络物对二级出水中添加的10种药品和个人护理用品(PPCPs)的去除效果。结果表明:臭氧/Hp-β-环糊精包络物具有持续的氧化能力,增加臭氧化量或Hp-β-环糊精浓度可显著提升臭氧/Hp-β-环糊精包络物的氧化能力。臭氧/Hp-β-环糊精包络物有较强的氧化性;向0.7 g/L的Hp-β-环糊精溶液中通入6 mg臭氧后,PPCPs的去除率为50%~70%,去除率受PPCPs分子结构影响。臭氧/Hp-β-环糊精包络物氧化可与其他氧化技术联合应用于污染物去除或用作臭氧化后的持续氧化。     

Microcystin-LR inhibited hippocampal long-term potential via regulation of the glycogen synthase kinase-3β pathway

We previously demonstrated that Cyanobacteria-derived microcystin-LR (MCLR) is able to induce cognitive dysfunction, but the mechanism is not understood. Long-term potential (LTP) in hippocampus is regarded as an important cellular mechanism of learning and memory. Here, the aim of this study was to evaluate the role of MCLR in LTP of hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) by in vivo electrophysiological recording. We found that MCLR could suppress the induction of LTP in rat hippocampus, whereas simultaneous inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) by LiCl or SB216763 attenuated the LTP impairments by MCLR. Furthermore, a decrease of the phosphorylated level at Ser9 of GSK-3β was observed by western blotting after intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of MCLR, indicating GSK-3β was activated by MCLR. In addition, we showed that ICV administration of MCLR slightly stimulated activity of protein phosphatases (PPs) in the brain, which might activate GSK-3β via dephosphorylation of Ser9 site. Taken together, these findings demonstrated that GSK-3β plays a crucial role in regulating MCLR-induced cognitive deficit.     

Microbial degradation of 17β -estradiol and 17α -ethinylestradiol followed by a validated HPLC-DAD method

This work aimed at studying the biodegradation of two estrogens, 17α -estradiol (E2) and 17β -ethinylestradiol (EE2), and their potential metabolism to estrone (E1) by microbial consortia. The biodegradation studies were followed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography–Diode Array Detector (HPLC–DAD) using a specifically developed and validated method. Biodegradation studies of the estrogens (E2 and EE2) were carried out with activated sludge (consortium A, CA) obtained from a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and with a microbial consortium able to degrade recalcitrant compounds, namely fluorobenzene (consortium B, CB). E2 was more extensively degraded than EE2 by CA whereas CB was only able to degrade E2. The addition of acetate as a supplementary carbon source led to a faster biodegradation of E2 and EE2. E1 was detected as a metabolite only during the degradation of E2. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses of strains recovered from the degrading cultures revealed the presence of the genera Pseudomonas, Chryseobacterium and Alcaligenes. The genera Pseudomonas and Chryseobacterium were retrieved from cultures supplied with E2 and EE2, while the genus Alcaligenes was found in the presence of E2, suggesting that they might be involved in the degradation of these compounds.     

Comparison of biochemical characteristics between PAO and DPAO sludges

A successful enhanced biological phosphorus removal(EBPR) was observed in both anaerobicaerobic sequencing batch reactor(An-Ox SBR) to induce growth of phosphorus accumulating organism(PAO) and anaerobic-anoxic(An-Ax) SBR to induce growth of denitrifying PAO(DPAO).Although the EBPR performance of An-Ox SBR was higher by 11.3% than that of An-Ax SBR,specific phosphorus release rates in the An-Ax SBR(22.8 ± 3.5 mg P/(g VSS·hr)) and the An-Ox SBR(22.4 ± 4.8 mg P/(g VSS·hr)) were similar. Specific phosphorus uptake rates under anoxic and aerobic conditions were 26.3 ± 4.8 mg P/(g VSS·hr)(An-Ax SBR) and 25.6 ± 2.8 mg P/(g VSS·hr)(An-Ox SBR), respectively, which were also similar. In addition, an analysis of relationship of poly-β-hydroxyalkanoates(PHA) synthesized under anaerobic conditions with phosphorous release(Preleased/PHAsynthesized) and of PHA utilized under anoxic and aerobic conditions with phosphorous uptake(Puptaked/PHAutilized) verified that biological activities of EBPR per unit biomass between DPAO and PAO were similar. An analysis of the specific denitrification rate of DPAO showed that NO-3-N can be denitrified at a rate that does not substantially differ from that of an ordinary denitrifier without additional consumption of organic carbon when the PHA stored inside the cell under anaerobic conditions is sufficiently secured.     

Herbicidal activity of slow-release herbicide formulations in wheat stands infested by weeds

The present study reports the herbicidal activity of metribuzin and tribenuron-methyl embedded in the degradable matrix of natural poly-3-hydroxybutyrate [P(3HB)/MET and P(3HB)/TBM]. The developed formulations were constructed as films and microgranules, which were tested against the weeds such as white sweet clover Melilotus albus and lamb's quarters Chenopodium album in the presence of soft spring wheat (Triticum aestivum, cv. Altaiskaya 70) as the subject crop for investigation. The activity was measured in laboratory scale experiments by determining the density and weight of the vegetative organs of weeds. The study was also aimed at testing the effect of the experimental formulation on the growth of wheat crop as dependent on the method of herbicide delivery. The experimental MET and TBM formulations showed pronounced herbicidal activity against the weed species used in the study. The effectiveness of the experimental formulations in inhibiting weed growth was comparable to and, sometimes, higher than that of the commercial formulations (positive control). The amount of the biomass of the wheat treated with the experimental herbicide formulations was significantly greater than that of the wheat treated with commercial formulations.     

化学合成聚3-羟基丁酸酯薄膜的生物降解性

利用土壤埋藏,海水降解,活性污泥及高等真菌降解实验对化学法合成的聚３－羟基丁酯,薄膜进行了生物降解性研究。结果表明,降解ＰＨＢ薄膜的微生分布比较广泛;     

Degradation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), PHB,by bacteria and purification of a novel PHB depolymerase fromComamonas sp.

Bacteria capable of growing on poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), PHB, as the sole source of carbon and energy were isolated from various soils, lake water, activated sludge, and air. Although all bacteria utilized a wide variety of monomeric substrates for growth, most of the strains were restricted to degrade PHB and copolymers of 3-hydroxybutyrate and 3-hydroxyvalerate, P(3HB-co-3HV). Five strains were also able to decompose a homopolymer of 3-hydroxyvalerate, PHV. Poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate), PHO, was not degraded by any of the isolates. One strain, which was identified asComamonas sp., was selected, and the extracellular depolymerase of this strain was purified from the medium by ammonium sulfate precipitation and by chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel and Butyl-Sepharose 4B. The purified PHB depolymerase was not a glycoprotein. The relative molecular masses of the native enzyme and of the subunits were 45,000 or 44,000, respectively. The purified enzyme hydrolyzed PHB, P(3HB-co-3HV), and—at a very low rate—also PHV. Polyhydroxyalkanoates, PHA, with six or more carbon atoms per monomer or characteristic substrates for lipases were not hydrolyzed. In contrast to the PHB depolymerases ofPseudomonas lemoignei andAlcaligenes faecalis T₁, which are sensitive toward phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) and which hydrolyze PHB mainly to the dimeric and trimeric esters of 3-hydroxybutyrate, the depolymerase ofComamonas sp. was insensitive toward PMSF and hydrolyzed PHB to monomeric 3-hydroxybutyrate indicating a different mechanism of PHB hydrolysis. Furthermore, the pH optimum of the reaction catalyzed by the depolymerase ofComamonas sp. was in the alkaline range at 9.4.