First-trimester screening for Down syndrome; the role of nasal bone assessment in the Korean population

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of nasal bone assessment in first-trimester screening for Down syndrome (DS) in the Korean population. Methods From July 2004 to March 2006, we prospectively evaluated the fetal nasal bones at 11–14 weeks' gestation in the Korean population. Results A successful evaluation was possible in 6490 of 6787 fetuses (95.6%). Absent, hypoechoic, and short nasal bones were seen in 4 (26.7%), 4 (26.7%), and 1 (6.7%) of 15 fetuses with DS, respectively, whereas in 5 (0.1%), 11 (0.2%), and 246 (3.8%) of 6456 normal fetuses. The incidence of absent and hypoechoic nasal bone showed significant differences between normal fetuses and fetuses with DS (P < 0.0005, both). Screening for DS using an absent or hypoechoic nasal bone resulted in a sensitivity of 53.3%, a specificity of 99.8%, a positive likelihood ratio of 215.2, and a negative likelihood ratio of 0.5. Conclusion Our study showed that nasal bone abnormality at 11–14 weeks of gestation had a high association with DS in the Korean population. This suggests that nasal bone assessment can be used to supplement the current first-trimester screening for DS in the Korean population. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

小兴安岭过去5000年的泥炭δ~(13)C记录

小兴安岭植物体中δ13C不仅受区域湿度变化控制,也受温度变化控制。泥炭纤维素的δ13C曲线,较好地响应了小兴安岭地区过去5000年来气候,特别是温度和湿度的演变过程。5.1～3.0kaBP、3.0～1.8kaBP、1.8kaBP迄今,小兴安岭经历了3个千年尺度的气候波动,气候演变过程为温暖湿润→温凉较湿→冷凉较湿。在千年尺度的气候波动上,又叠加着百年尺度的气候变化,在3.0kaBP以来更为显著。相应的,泥炭发育也经历了从富营养、中营养到贫营养阶段。     

Genetic amniocentesis in multiple gestations

Thirty-one genetic amniocenteses involving multiple gestations were performed in the genetics unit between 1976 and 1982. Three sets of triplets were included. Precise locations of the sacs were determined using real-time ultrasonography and successful sampling of all sacs was accomplished. Spontaneous abortions occurred in two normal twins and one normal triplet gestation. Two therapeutic abortions were performed for fetal abnormalities. Two cases of discordance for trisomy 21 (one twin and one triplet) were allowed to continue; the twin case terminated at 25 weeks' gestation with neonatal deaths and the triplets are alive and well.     

Abnormal immunological development in fetuses with trisomy 18

Flow cytometry was used to enumerate the lymphocyte subpopulations in fetal blood obtained by cordocentesis from eight trisomy 18 fetuses at 20–36 weeks' gestation. Compared with values in chromosomally normal fetuses, in trisomy 18 the mean T- and natural killer (NK) cell counts were significantly lower (t= − 7·63, P<0·001 and t= − 3·58, P<0·01, respectively); the mean B-cell count was not significantly different (t= − 1·32). These findings demonstrate that in trisomy 18 there is abnormal intrauterine development of the immune system.     

First-trimester screening for fetal chromosomal abnormalities. Preliminary results

We have started a multicentre trial to study the possibilities of first-trimester maternal serum screening for fetal chromosomal abnormalities. Maternal blood samples were obtained before 13 weeks of gestation. We present the preliminary results of the first 950 patients on alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Results on cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) in Down's syndrome and normal pregnancies are also presented. We conclude that the results on AFP are promising and that CA 125 might be predictive for fetal Down's syndrome.     

First-trimester alpha-fetoprotein screening for Down syndrome

Screening for Down syndrome and other chromosomal aneuploidies by biochemical parameters in maternal serum is well established for the second trimester. With screening as late as 16 weeks of gestation, the option of chorionic villus sampling (CVS) unfortunately is lost. In our study population, the maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) concentration was determined in 2471 women in the first trimester immediately prior to CVS. Although in this sample MSAFP tended to be lower in Down syndrome (DS) pregnancies than in pregnancies with a chromosomally normal fetus, at this early gestational age neither a fixed cut-off level of 0·5 multiples of the normal median (MOM) nor one of 0·6 MOM was suitable for identifying pregnancies at higher risk for DS. This also applied to trisomy 18, although on average MSAFP in trisomy 18 pregnancies was lower than in normal and DS pregnancies.     

化石燃料结构变化对大气中δ~(13)CO_2的影响

根据煤炭、石油和天然气等化石燃料的CO2排放量及其碳稳定同位素组成,用按比例叠加的方法逐年计算1860~1996年CO2化石燃料源的d13CO2(PDB),用简单全球碳循环模式研究该变化对大气d13CO2的影响,并将计算结果与CMDL近10年的监测数据进行对比.结果表明,化石燃料源的d13CO2在140年内下降了4.5,在碳循环模式中考虑这种动态变化之后,大气d13CO2的模拟结果与同期实测值的相关程度有较大提高.     

Prenatal diagnosis of a fetus with partial monosomy 7(q34→qter) and partial trisomy 18(q21→qter)

Ultrasound examination of a 31-year-old woman at 27 weeks' gestation revealed fetal growth retardation, a bilateral cleft lip and palate, and the absence of median cerebral structures. Chromosome analysis after cordocentesis showed an abnormal karyotype with a structural abnormality of the long arm of chromosome 7: 46,XX,—7,+der(7), t(7;18) (q34;q21.3)mat. The pregnancy was terminated at week 29. The ultrasound findings were confirmed by post-mortem examination, which also revealed a semilobar holoprosencephaly.     

高Al13纳米聚合氯化铝的结构表征及混凝效果

采用AlCl36H2O和Na2CO3制备了聚合氯化铝(PAC),并采用SO42-/Ba2+沉淀-置换法分离提纯了其中的纳米Al13形态,应用27Al-NMR和XRD等现代实验技术对其中的Al13形态进行了分析表征,27Al-NMR结果表明,分离提纯后样品中的Al13含量明显高于PAC,XRD结果表明,Al13的衍射峰出现在2q角为5~25之间;混凝烧杯实验表明,纳米级PAC较传统的混凝剂AlCl3、Al2(SO4)3和PAC具有更好的除浊、脱色效果.