Prenatal diagnosis of Pierre–Robin sequence as part of Stickler syndrome

Stickler syndrome or hereditary progressive arthro-ophthalmopathy, is an autosomal dominant condition characterized by ocular manifestations, arthritic changes, orofacial features and deafness, in variable degrees. We report the first case of prenatal diagnosis of Stickler syndrome in a child with a Pierre–Robin sequence (PRS) causing a polyhydramnios. When isolated polyhydramnios is not explained by immunological, metabolic or infectious causes, swallowing difficulty due to PRS must be considered. As PRS is aetiologically heterogenous, the prognosis depends on the cause. Genetic investigations and familial history must be taken into account. Here, in a context of familial Stickler syndrome, making the prenatal diagnosis of PRS as part of Stickler syndrome allowed us to reassure the parents and to anticipate airway trouble at the child's birth. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

城市震害时空序列的展开过程分析

本文系统地介绍城市地震灾害的主体，震害的特征及按时间、空间序列的发展过程。城市震害是多种灾害同时发生、相互影响，并且多种灾害在时空序列上都有发生、发展和延续的过程。通过对以往几次城市地震灾害的现象的研究、展示其在时空序列的分布规律，力求找到各种灾害与抗震救灾活动的对应关系     

Cost effective environmental control technology for utilities

On September 24, 1998, new regulations announced by the US EPA require 22 eastern states plus the District of Columbia to develop state implementation plans to reduce ground-level ozone through the reduction of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions (Cooper, 1998). This plan calls for a 28% NOx cut in the summer time (1.2 million tons) by 2007. This calls for utilities to develop new, efficient, and robust post-combustion NOx control technologies. A new environmental control technology called low temperature oxidation (LTO) system, which can reduce NOx emissions below measurable levels (i.e. 2 ppm using process analyzers) at low temperature (125-325 °F), was awarded the best available control technology and the lowest available emission reduction technology by the US EPA in April 1998. Ozone is employed to oxidize nitric oxide (NO) to dinitrogen pentoxide (N₂O₅) at a low temperature in an oxidizer, which is then easily absorbed by water in a scrubber. Bench scale and pilot plant tests have shown that the LTO process can almost completely remove the NOx emissions (i.e. NOx emissions are below levels measurable using process analyzers). This proved that the LTO system is an attractive process to meet the stricter NOx regulations. There are multiple benefits of the LTO system besides removal of NOx emissions, includes reduction of SOx and CO emissions, and no secondary air emissions (NH₃, N₂O). In order to obtain minimum NOx emissions, extra ozone needs to be supplied. The cost of the process also increases nonlinearly as emissions decrease. This poses a challenging multiobjective optimization problem where emissions like NOx and SOx need to be minimized, while minimizing the system cost as well as extra ozone. This problem is addressed using a new and efficient multiobjective optimization framework. This framework will provide designs that are cost effective as well as environmentally friendly.     

First-trimester ultrasonic diagnosis of twin reversed arterial perfusion sequence

Twin reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP) syndrome sequence is a rare specific anomaly of twin gestation with fused placentae and umbilical anastomosis. This syndrome occurs once in very 35 000–48 000 births and has been described in the second trimester (23-29 weeks of gestation). We report on early sonographic diagnosis (10 and 12 weeks' gestation) of two cases of TRAP sequence, together with their umbilical cord Doppler studies.     

南黄海6.1级地震及其前兆的分析与思考

对南黄海６．１级地震序列和主震震源参数进行了初步推算和分析。对该次地震前的长期和中短期地震学前兆异常的分析预报作了总结，提出了长中短结合和注意异常指标的独立性及抓时空强异常综合分析的预报思路     

有关昆仑山口西8.1级地震及其余震活动趋势的讨论

在处理了部分有关资料的基础上 ,从发震断层旋性、历史地震类比、地震活动图像变化和地震序列特征等多方面对昆仑山口西 8.1级地震的余震活动趋势进行了讨论 ,结果表明 :本次 8.1级地震的最大余震震级可能为 6级左右     

运用火山地质学理论研究竹田头火山机构

系采用火山活动旋回-火山构造-火山地层-岩性、岩相一体化思路对浙东谷来地区的竹田头复活破火山机构进行地质填图的一些认识,主要有如下五点:1.采用火山旋回-火山构造-火山地层-岩性、岩相一体化思路在火山岩区进行地质填图,取得了很好的地质效果;2.区域火山地层层序的厘定,首先应在同一旋回的火山机构内,测制剖面,厘定火山地层层序,而后把不同旋回火山机构内的地层层序叠置,建立区域综合地层层序,在此基础上,确定岩石地层单位和填图单元;3.划分岩相,建立相序,是推演古火山演化历史,建立演化模式的有效途径;4.线形构造与环形火山构造组合形成的线-环构造格局,是火山岩区地质构造的重要特征;5.在火山岩区用火山地层组-段-岩性填制的地质图,实质上是一种实际材料图,只有以火山旋回-火山构造-火山地层-岩相为内容的火山岩相构造图,才能正确反映火山岩区的地质构造特点,揭示火山岩的成因,追溯古火山演化历史,恢复古火山面貌.     

关于界线、界线层型和事件地层学的讨论

本文对目前盛行多重地层划分“界线层型”提出讨论。认为这种人为界线,既不能反映地质历史发展的本来面貌,也不利于生产使用,作者强调突变在地质演变过程中是关健性的,主张采用统一地层划分选择自然(事件)界线。     

西藏措麦地区新生代火山岩相初步研究

西藏措麦地区处于冈底斯火山—岩浆弧的中段,新生代火山活动强烈,火山岩相发育齐全。根据火山喷发类型、火山物质搬运方式和定位环境,可划分为爆发相、爆溢相、喷溢相、侵出相、潜火山岩相、火山通道相、喷发—沉积相等7大类型。再依据区内火山活动特点,火山相序及相组合特征,结合火山沉积地层及其接触关系,可将其火山活动划分四个喷发—沉积旋回,依序对应于典中组、年波组、帕那组、鱼鳞山组四个岩石地层单位。文章阐述了各类型火山岩相的基本特征,对各火山岩相序、相组合及火山活动旋回作了初步分析和归纳,对提高整个冈底斯地区火山岩研究程度,具有一定的实际意义。     

Bioleaching of spent Ni-Cd batteries and phylogenetic analysis of an acidophilic strain in acidified sludge

Biohydrometallurgy is a novel method to recycle discarded batteries, in which sewage sludge is used as microorganisms and culture due to the presence of indigenous Thiobacilli. A two-step continuous flow leaching system consisting of an acidifying reactor and a leaching reactor was introduced to achieve the bioleaching of spent nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries. The acid supernatant produced in the acidifying reactor by the microorganisms with ferrous ions as the substrate was conducted into the leaching reactor to dissolve electrode materials. The efficiency of a batch treatment of batteries was examined. The results showed that the complete dissolution of two AA-sized Ni-Cd batteries with 0.6 L/d acid supernatant took about 30, 20, and 35 days for Ni, Cd, and Co, respectively. But the dissolution ability of the three metals was different. Cd and Co can be leached mostly for pH below 4.0 while the complete dissolution of Ni can be achieved for pH below 2.5. Meanwhile, a strain (named Thiooxidans. WL) accounting for the reduction of pH in the acidified sludge was isolated and sequenced. It was identified to be 100% similar to Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strain Tf-49 based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The relevant phylogenetic tree constructed indicates that the strain should be classified into genus Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans.