Prenatal detection of X-linked ichthyosis by maternal serum screening for down syndrome

Maternal serum unconjugated oestriol (uE3) was measured in 15 375 pregnancies during 2 years of second-trimester risk assessment for Down syndrome using biochemical markers. Very low levels of uE3 (<0·1 MOM) were detected in 22 serum samples (0·14 per cent). Very low uE3 was associated with an adverse outcome in 13 pregnancies including fetal death and miscarriage (N=11), anencephaly (N=1), and Meckel—Gruber syndrome (N=1). Dry scales on the skin appeared in the first year of life in four boys. From dermatological diagnosis, prenatal uE3 levels, and pedigree analysis, it is concluded that at least 5 in approximately 7500 male births in the study population are affected by steroid sulphatase deficiency, which is the biochemical defect in X-linked ichthyosis. Very low uE3 levels in the second trimester are indicative of this disease in pregnancies with normal ultrasound findings.     

磁粉强化活性污泥法处理餐饮废水的研究

磁粉强化活性污泥化是在常规活性污泥法中加入适量强磁性粉末的废水生物处理方法。研究了用磁粉活性污泥法净化处理餐饮废水，通过与普通活性污泥法的平行试验，结果表明，磁粉强化活性污泥法适宜的磁粉加入量为700mg/L儿，磁粉粒度＜1μm，CODcr去除率和出水透光率都优于普通活性污泥法，活性污泥氮体结构和沉降性能明显改善。     

利用味精废水生产饲料蛋白的研究

以溜曲霉为出发菌株 ,通过筛选 7种生物质添加剂对利用味精废水液体发酵生产饲料蛋白进行了可行性研究。优化后的发酵配方组成为 :孢子接种量 1.8× 10 8、苹果渣 4%、Na2 HPO4 0 .1g/L、KH2 PO4 0 .0 5 g/L ,其余是味精废水 ,产物的粗蛋白含量达 33%。实验结果表明 ,利用味精厂高浓度有机废水发酵溜曲霉生产饲料蛋白 ,在有效处理废水的同时亦可生产有经济价值的产品。     

Cytoprotective and anti-apoptotic action of HSP70 stress protein in Oreochromis niloticus exposed to residual dilutions of insecticides with fipronil and ethiprole

Abstract

The objective of this research was to investigate the potential damage caused by the residual concentrations of the insecticides Regent^® WS 800 and Curbix^® SC 200, containing fipronil and ethiprole, respectively as active ingredients, on the liver of Oreochromis niloticus. The analyses of HSP70 shock protein labelling and cell death process by TUNEL method were performed in order to measure the effects of the exposure of cell repair system of fish to both insecticides. Statistical analyses showed no significant molecular damage to the hepatic tissue of animals. Nevertheless, variations in HSP70 and DNA fragmentation levels, endpoint of cell repair system response and cellular death, respectively, were observed in several groups. These results indicate that the cell repair machinery was efficient when in contact with residual concentrations of insecticides. However, the DNA fragmentation detected by the TUNEL method suggests that even in face of the cytoprotective action of the HSP70 protein, there are damages that become irreparable. To finish, it is worth mentioning that given the results obtained from residual concentrations, use in the field should be with caution.     

Increasing the microbial activity in activated sludge by the phenomenon of 'biological resonance

Mechanical oscillations as well as electrical oscillations (e.g. in an electrical oscillatory circuit) can lead to resonance conditions by external agitation with the natural frequency of the system. During the microbial protein synthesis, the induction and repression mechanisms also cause oscillations in the form of varying protein concentrations. The aim of this work concentrates on an induced resonance case of the biological system, comparable with physical resonance phenomena, by external periodic stimulations. For this, system theoretical computer simulations with a structured genetic model were carried out, which built the theoretical fundament for describing the effect of 'Biological Resonance'. Based on that, lab-scale experiments using a mixed microbial culture (activated sludge) and skimmed milk as an inducing substrate revealed an enhanced microbial productivity of around 60%-75% compared to values of the productivity under steady-state conditions in a narrow range of process parameters. The optimum (resonance case) was confirmed by a repetition of the variation experiments and is characterised by a substrate supply period of approx. 18 min and a following starvation period of about 9 min. Long-term investigations under optimised process conditions indicate adaptation mechanisms of the microorganisms to evade the imposed stress conditions. The productivity will not remain constant without additional stimulation and declines to its original level. However, temporal modulation of the starvation period permanently increases the productivity (elevated catabolism) to about 60%, which was observed over a period of several weeks.     

高含固污泥厌氧消化中蛋白质转化规律

采用剩余污泥在含固率(total solid,TS)为12%条件下进行中温(37℃)厌氧消化,通过分析厌氧消化前后污泥蛋白质组分的变化情况,研究了高含固污泥厌氧消化中蛋白质的转化规律,探讨了高含固条件下污泥蛋白质转化效率较低的原因.结果表明,经过45 d的厌氧消化处理,污泥蛋白质的转化率为34.26%.污泥蛋白质转化效率较低的原因主要表现在:(1)高含固条件下污泥的传质较差;同时,污泥蛋白质经水解过程形成大量的氨氮,反应结束后污泥总氨氮(total ammonia nitrogen,TAN)质量浓度达到1 201 mg·L~(-1),导致对厌氧消化过程,尤其对蛋白质的分解表现出一定的抑制作用;(2)三维荧光光谱(three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy,3D-EEM)分析表明,部分蛋白质向腐殖质类、富里酸类物质转化,从而更难分解;(3)通过二维电泳(two-dimensional electrophoresis,2-DE)-质谱(mass spectrometry,MS)分析发现,厌氧消化后污泥蛋白质的相对分子质量和等电点(isoelectric point,p I)降低;最终,污泥中残留的大部分蛋白质来源于微生物体内.由于微生物代谢能力随着厌氧消化过程的进行而减弱,难以继续利用这些蛋白质,或消化体系中不具备分解这些蛋白质的酶,从而限制了污泥中蛋白质的分解效率.     

蛋白泡沫灭火剂及其组分的生物降解试验

采用呼吸计量法考察蛋白泡沫灭火剂组分对其降解性的影响,明确几种国内典型蛋白泡沫灭火剂的生物降解性能。20 d快速生物降解试验结果表明:水解蛋白浓缩液易于生物降解,防腐剂苯酚的添加不会抑制蛋白泡沫灭火剂的生物降解,泡沫稳定剂硫酸亚铁则会对蛋白泡沫灭火剂的生物降解有所影响;6种市售典型蛋白泡沫灭火剂的20 d生物降解率均超过60%,抗溶型蛋白泡沫灭火剂的生物降解性普遍较高;国内蛋白泡沫灭火剂产品的20 d生物降解率远高于国外同类产品,在生物降解性能方面比国外同类产品更具有优势。     

煤质粉末活性炭自燃和热稳定性分析

针对煤质粉末活性炭最显著的热危险特性——自燃危险性进行试验。采用粉尘层最低着火温度测定系统对煤质粉末活性炭进行自燃试验,测定煤质粉末活性炭的最低着火温度;采用SDT Q600热重分析仪测定煤质粉末活性炭在氮气和空气气氛中以20℃/min的速率升温至700℃时的热解和燃烧特性,通过TG/DTG曲线计算其着火温度,并进行热稳定性评价。粉尘层自燃试验结果表明,煤质粉末活性炭最低着火温度为400℃,具有自燃危险性,易形成阴燃;氮气气氛中热解试验表明,热解过程经历了室温~120.0℃和280.0~700.0℃两次轻缓失重阶段,646.44℃时挥发分热失重速率最大,对应热失重速率峰值为0.082 6%/℃,自燃危险性较低;空气气氛中燃烧试验表明,燃烧过程经历了室温~95.5℃和300.0~600.0℃两次剧烈失重阶段,分别为吸附水分受热蒸发和氧化生成的有机官能团分解脱附导致,565.35℃时挥发分热失重速率最大,对应热失重速率峰值为13.20%/min,粉末较强的氧气吸附效应和较低的导热系数导致其自燃倾向较高,火灾危险性较大。     

Are you okay to drive? Commuting behavior and blood alcohol concentrations among restaurant diners

Objective: Drink driving is widely recognized as a major road safety problem. In Australia, health promotion messages encourage monitoring the number of standard drinks consumed prior to driving. This pilot research aimed to investigate commuting behavior and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of diners, including intended drivers, at Sunshine Coast restaurants.

Methods: Five hundred and forty-four diners (n = 260 males) consented to participate in a brief interview and to use a breathalyzer device to measure their BAC.

Results: Forty percent of participants advised they don't drink and drive (34% of males, 45% of females; 67.25% of <17–20 years, 30.5% of 50–59 years), and of the remaining participants, 75% advised they count the number of their drinks (69% of males, 84% of females; 32% of <17–20 years, 82% of 50–59 years), while 10% of participants monitored their BAC by how they were feeling (12% of males, 6% of females). Thirty-seven percent of participants said it was easy/very easy to estimate their BAC (41% of males; 33% of females; 21% of <17–20 years, 43% of 50–59 years). The actual BAC was less than expected for 56% of participants, with one-third underestimating BAC and some intended drivers having an actual BAC in excess of the 0.05 limit.

Conclusions: Given the proportion of diners who reported they count the number of drinks, or use feelings as a way to gauge BAC, coupled with the considerable proportion who underestimated their BAC, a safer public health message is to avoid driving if you intend to drink. In addition, targeted intervention for experienced drivers (and, arguably, drinkers) appears warranted, as every participant aged less than 21 years who stated he or she would drive home indeed had a zero BAC. Interestingly every female driver who stated she would be driving home also had a legal BAC, suggesting gender-specific intervention.     

红霉素废液生产单细胞蛋白的发酵条件研究

采用单因素及正交方法,以微生物含量为主要检测指标,研究红霉素废液生产单细胞蛋白的工艺条件。探讨了接菌量、发酵培养基中废液含量、发酵时间、发酵pH值、氮源等因素对单细胞蛋白产量的影响。结果表明,红霉素废液发酵生产蛋白的适宜条件为:发酵培养基中废液含量20%,接菌量6%,pH=6,发酵时间72h。