MATERNAL SERUM ALPHA-FETOPROTEIN SCREENING FOR OPEN NEURAL TUBE DEFECTS IN TWIN PREGNANCIES

Data on maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels at 13–24 weeks' gestation in 46 twin pregnancies with open neural tube defects (22 with anencephaly, 24 with open spina bifida) and 169 unaffected twins were used to estimate the detection and false-positive rates associated with different cut-off levels. Using the conventional cut-off level of 2·5 multiples of the median (MoM) for unaffected singleton pregnancies of the same gestation and laboratory, the detection rate in twins was 99 per cent for anencephaly and 89 per cent for open spina bifida, with a false-positive rate of 30 per cent. Using a 5·0 MoM cut-off level to maintain a similar false-positive rate to that found among singleton pregnancies at 16–18 weeks' gestation (about 3 per cent), the detection rate was 83 per cent for anencephaly and 39 per cent for open spina bifida. Estimates are provided of the odds of having an affected twin pregnancy given a positive AFP result as well as the odds for individual women with a raised AFP level.     

Iniencephaly is not uniformly fatal

Iniencephaly is an uncommon, but not rare, lesion involving a fusion between the posterior occipital bone and the cervical spine. Many cases are associated with other cranio-cervical abnormalities and anencephaly, and most are associated with other structural abnormalities. The prognosis is thought to be dismal. We describe a male infant, one of twins, who was diagnosed prenatally as having iniencephaly. The child was born without complication and has grown and thrived. This is the fourth patient with long-term survival with iniencephaly. We recommend that non-directive counselling be applied when presenting the findings of iniencephaly to parents.     

Effects of mid-trimester induced abortion on the subsequent pregnancy

The outcome of the pregnancy following (a) a mid-trimester termination of pregnancy (TOP) for fetal neural tube defect (NTD) (77 women=group 1); (b) mid-trimester TOP for fetal Down's syndrome (13 women=group 2); (c) delivery of a baby with NTD (119 women=group 3) was studied. The prenatal fetal loss was relatively high in all groups. In group 1 it was similar to that found in other studies after first trimester TOP, in group 2 it was associated with advanced maternal age and the unexpected finding in group 3 was not attributable to advanced maternal age. It is suggested that a previous NTD per se might increase the risk of fetal loss in the next pregnancy. A previous mid-trimester TOP for NTD was not associated with an increase in premature labour, small for dates babies or congenital abnormality in the next pregnancy, but there was a slight increase in the number of babies weighing less than 2500 g.     

Is maternal alpha-fetoprotein screening still of value in a low-risk area for neural tube defects?

Estimation of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was used as a screening method for the detection of neural tube defects (NTDs) in 6344 women over three years. Of 88 (1.4 per cent) who had one or more serum AFP levels equal to, or greater than, 2.5 multiples of the median (MoM) for the relevant gestational age, 43 (0.68 per cent) underwent amniocentesis. There were eight NTDs. Four of these were screened by serum AFP, and all cases of spina bifida had serum AFP levels greater than 3.0 MoM, including one small open defect which was not seen on ultrasound. The other four cases of NTD, which were not screened, were identified by ultrasound. Of 64 singleton pregnancies 32 (50 per cent) had serum AFP levels between 2.5 and 3.0 MoM, and low birthweight (⪕2500 g) occurred in 29 per cent. Because of improvements in ultrasound techniques and the apparent falling incidence of NTD, the role of serum AFP as the primary screening procedure should be regularly reviewed. Effective screening is dependent on mothers booking early.     

Recurrence risk of neural tube defects following a miscarriage

Data from 280 sibships in three published series were used to see if the increased risk of neural tube defect (NTD) associated with having had a miscarriage in the immediately preceding pregnancy was also found in women with a previous affected pregnancy. A statistically significant relative risk of 4.0 (2-tail P=0.0111, Fisher exact test) was found among such women, and this could not be accounted for by the effect of parity or of a history of miscarriage in general. The finding may be useful when counselling patients.     

北武夷下汪家铜多金属矿床地质特征及成因分析

下汪家铜多金属矿床形成于燕山晚期，成矿流体主要来自岩浆期后热液，断裂和岩浆岩是两大重要的成矿条件。控矿构造为北北东向断裂。成矿流体和主要矿质均源于地球深部，以上地幔或壳幔混合带为主，与燕山晚期富碱岩浆活动密切相关。下汪家铜多金属矿床成因上的分析，对该区下一步的找矿工作具有指导意义。     

北京市公园土壤铜、铅含量及化学形态分布特征

对北京市的12个公园进行表层、深层土壤样品的重金属Cu、Pb含量分析,并对其中10个公园的表层、深层土壤样品进行Cu、Pb的化学形态分析。研究结果表明:北京市部分公园的深层土壤已在某种程度上受到人为扰动,大多数公园表层土壤中存在着一定的Cu、Pb含量积累现象,总体上市区公园比郊区公园明显。公园表层、深层土壤中Cu形态分布的总体规律均为残渣晶格态>有机结合态>铁锰氧化物结合态>碳酸盐结合态>可交换态,表层、深层土壤中Pb形态分布的总体规律均为残渣晶格态>铁锰氧化物结合态>有机结合态>碳酸盐结合态>可交换态,但表层土壤中活性态Cu、Pb的平均比例较深层土壤均有所上升,部分市区公园表层土壤中Cu、Pb的含量较高且活性态比例较大,具有一定的释放潜力和生物有效性。     

用MnSO_4作催化剂开管测定废水COD

本研究介绍了用硫酸锰代替硫酸银作催化剂快速开管测定废水中COD的方法。该方法降低了分析成本 ,且使样品的回流时间缩短到 12min ,而准确度和精密度同标准法基本相同。此法取样量少 ,消解速率快 ,适用于大批量水样的测定。     

Removal of copper from a copper sulphate solution using an ultrasonic-electrolysis process

The application of ultrasonic-electrolysis process for the removal of copper is studied.In the ultrasonic field cavitation acts as jets and agitates the solution and breaks the barrier layer between the cathode surface and the bulk of the solution.Thus increases metal deposition on the cathode surface.The results show that an ultrasonic field is successful for the removal of low copper concentrations in solution.     

小径薄壁管射线透照布置方法

小径薄壁管广泛用于工艺管道中，在对其进行无损探伤时，一般采用双壁双影椭圆成像法和双壁重叠成像法，针对小径薄壁管对接焊缝透照成像的特殊要求，具体介绍双壁双影椭圆成像法的透照布置方法。