The risks of early cordocentesis (12–21 weeks): Analysis of 500 procedures

Five hundred cordocenteses were performed between 12 and 21 weeks. The indications were thalassaemia (386), rapid karyotyping (97), feto-maternal allo-immunization (10), rubella (6), and toxoplasmosis (1). One hundred and ten pregnancies underwent termination on the basis of the result, while 20 of the 370 pregnancies intended to continue were lost to follow-up. Amongst these were 16 fetal losses (4·3 per cent) and 22 premature deliveries (5·9 per cent); no other complications were reported. Four adverse prognostic factors were identified: (a) cord bleeding; (b) fetal bradycardia; (c) prolonged procedure time; and (d) anterior insertion of the placenta. There was no‘obvious’ difference in fetal loss rate with advancing gestation until 19–21 weeks, when the risk of fetal loss decreased to 2·5 per cent.     

Improving agricultural sustainability: the case of Swedish greenhouse tomatoes

Of major concern to agriculturists and society are issues of sustainability and land and resource requirements for food and fiber. Sustainability of Swedish domestic agriculture is explored using the production of tomatoes in greenhouses as a case study. Issues of sustainability are related to net yields, environmental loading, greenhouse gases, employment and land use. A model for evaluation of sustainability is developed and illustrated using the concepts and theories of analysis. The intensive tomato production system investigated was shown to be highly dependent on non-renewable resources and human service fed back from society. Substituting wood powder from logging residues for the oil used for heating reduced the environmental load and improved the sustainability of the system significantly.     

东大湖养鱼场水质遗传毒理的检测研究

本文报道了利用蚕豆根尖微核技术和鱼周血有核红细胞微核技术检测东大潮5个渔场的水质污染情况。结果为：各渔场蚕豆根尖MCN‰与对照（自来水）存在显著差异（F＞F(0．01)，P＜0．01），根据污染指数划分：A、B两渔场为重污染，C、D为中度污染，E为轻污染。各渔场鱼周血有核红细胞MCN‰与无明显污染源水体（柏录）存在着显著性差异（F＞F(0．01)，P＜0．01）。两种方法检测结果呈一致性，污染程度为A≈B＞C≈D＞E。微核率变化主要受污染源性质及位置的影响。将两种遗传毒性检测方法与化学方法检测相配合．能全面、准确、快速地监测水体污染状况，具有广泛的应用前景。     

Does chorionic villus sampling compromise fetal umbilical blood flow?

A possible association of limb reduction defects with chorionic villus sampling (CVS) may be related to compromised umbilical blood flow from the trauma of the procedure. We hypothesized that because CVS may disrupt or compromise umbilical blood flow to the fetus, either by vasoconstriction, bradycardia, or emboli, we would detect these changes using Doppler velocimetry. A cohort of 21 consecutive consenting patients undergoing first-trimester elective CVS for prenatal diagnosis were entered into a prospective longitudinal study. Colour flow Doppler velocimetry was performed on fetal umbilical arterial blood flow immediately before and after CVS to measure the pulsatility index, fetal heart rate, per cent flow time, and maximum flow velocity. Measurements were obtained from three consecutive cardiac cycles in three different umbilical segments and averaged. Potentially confounding variables also recorded included gestational age, method of CVS, number of passes, number of aspirations, placental location, tissue sample size, and operator. Umbilical velocimetry values before and after CVS were compared using the paired t-test and showed no statistically significant differences. No differences were found when data were analysed by gestational age, sample size, method, number of aspirations, placental location, or operator. We were unable to detect any significant change in fetal umbilical arterial blood flow velocimetry or heart rate after performing CVS. Umbilical blood flow does not appear to be routinely compromised by CVS.     

水稻籽实中蛋白质-Cd、Pb结合体及其稳定性

通过凝脱层析方法，对水稻籽实中的蛋白质－Cd,Pb结合形态特征及其稳定性进行了研究。结果表明；水稻籽实TrisHCl提取液经SephadexG-75分 离，洗脱液得到3个紫外吸收峰，在第1、3峰处出现了Cd、Pb浓度峰，其蛋白质－Cd、Pb结合体的表观分子量为54.5KD和5.5KD。在蒸煮加热处理后，水稻籽实中蛋白质－Cd、Pb结合体发生变性，使分子量为54.5KD的蛋白质－Cd,Pb结合体完全破坏，分子量为5.5KD的结合体也部分地被破坏，与蛋白质结合的Cd ,Pb被释放出来。胃蛋白酶和胰蛋白酶消化处理后，也能够破坏蛋白质－Cd,Pb结合体的形态，洗脱液中Cd,Pb的浓度分布也发生了变化，在第1、3紫外吸收峰处的Cd、Pb浓度也明显降低。另外，在第3峰以后的洗脱液中也检测到Cd、Pb的浓度。     

环保型高效胶结材——高炉渣微粉的制造与应用

本文介绍了高炉渣微粉的性质、特点、生产工艺及粉磨设备的选择和应用前景分析。     

Fetal granulocytes in maternal venous blood detected by in situ hybridization

Fetal male cells from maternal venous blood were detected by a non-radioactive in situ hybridization method using the biotinylated Y-specific DNA probe pY431. The hybridizations were performed on Ficoll-Paque-isolated nucleated blood cells obtained from 11 pregnant women in the seventh to 31st week of gestation. A Y-specific signal was detected in both granulocytes and lymphocyte-like cells in seven of the 11 women studied. These women gave birth to boys. In one of the four remaining cases, a Y-specific signal was detected in the lymphocyte-like cells but not in the granulocytes. This woman gave birth to a girl. The other three women had no cells with a Y-specific signal and all three gave birth to girls. Altogether, 83 500 nucleated cells were analysed. One hundred and three cells showed a Y-specific signal. Of these Y-specific cells, 62 per cent were granulocytes and 38 per cent lymphocyte-like cells. Our results suggest that fetomaternal transfer of granulocytes is common and that it occurs as early as in the seventh week of gestation. None of the ten non-pregnant female control samples showed positive cells with the Y-chromosome-specific probe; approximately 97 per cent of the cells from the five adult male controls showed a Y-specific signal. Our results indicate that in situ hybridization using a Y-specific DNA probe performed on granulocytes in maternal blood can be used for fetal male sex determination.     

Cr6+对人血红细胞膜的损伤及茶多酚对其保护作用的分子机理研究

采用TBA(thiobatbrturic acid)法和ESR自旅标记技术,测定了无机致癌物重铬酸钾(Cr~(6+))对红细胞膜的蛋白巯基和磷脂的作用,结果表明,Cr~(6+)引发红细胞膜产生脂质过氧化的同时,膜上蛋白巯基构象和磷脂的流动性发生改变.而茶多酚对Cr~(6+)引起红细胞膜上的这些变化均有明显抑制作用.     

二硫化碳作业工人高血压影响因素的研究

对80名接触二硫化碳的生产工人及78名对照组人员进行了血压及职业史、受教育背景、吸烟状态、饮酒状况、遗传背景(父、母亲高血压、心脑血管病患病史)、工作及生活中情感状态、饮食习惯等的测定与调查.结果显示,二硫化碳接触组高血压患病率显著性高于对照组高血压患病率(x2=9.56,P＜0.01);对研究人群高血压患病相关因素进行分析表明,接触CS2是引起高血压发生的主要危险因素,其它诸如受教育程度、压力感、遗传、吸烟、饮酒、食用水果等也与高血压的患病存在一定程度的相关.进一步对接触组研究对象进行高血压患病相关因素进行多因素分析表明,在接触组中,工作或生活中有压力感是高血压发生的一个危险因素,而每天食用水果则是高血压发生的抑制因素(保护性因子).研究结果提示,较长时间接触二硫化碳是导致血压升高的独立危险因素,工作及生活中情感状态、饮食习惯等是二硫化碳是导致高血压的重要影响因子.     

Blood transferrin receptor expression in chromosomally abnormal fetuses

In a cross-sectional study of 13 chromosomally abnormal fetuses, umbilical venous blood was obtained by cordocentesis at 17–32 weeks' gestation. Fetal blood transferrin receptor (CD71) expression (mean=79·8 per cent, range=60–98 per cent) and nucleated red cell count (mean=10·4 × 10⁹ per 1, range=1·0–25·0 × 10⁹ per 1) were significantly higher than the appropriate normal mean for gestation (z=3·92, P<0·0001 and z=3·69, P<0·001, respectively). These haematological changes in chromosomally abnormal fetuses would facilitate their prenatal diagnosis by analysis of fetal nucleated red blood cells isolated from the maternal circulation on the basis of CD71 expression.