Temporal changes in Ohio amniocentesis utilization during the first twelve years (1972–1983), and frequency of chromosome abnormalities observed

The history of amniocentesis utilization in the seventh largest state of the United States is documented from its inception in 1972 through the first half of 1984. Amniocentesis utilization ratios for Ohio residents aged ⩾35 have increased from 0.21 per cent (19/9091) in 1972 to 23.4 per cent (1655/7531) in 1983, representing an average annual growth rate of 43.1 per cent. Of the amniocenteses performed from January 1, 1978–July 1, 1984, 71 per cent were referred for advanced maternal age (⩾35), 15 per cent for maternal anxiety (30–34), 10 per cent for family history or previous child with a genetic defect, and 4 per cent for other reasons. Between 1978-1983 utilization by women 45 years of age was only 20 per cent higher than women 35 even though their risk of giving birth to a Down syndrome child was about one order of magnitude higher. In addition, various factors were tested as to whether they affected utilization of amniocentesis by women ⩾35 during 1978 1983. A strong correlation of +0.89 existed between county population size and utilization ratios. No difference in utilization was found between whites and nonwhites, regardless of county population size. When utilization ratios were compared separately between Protestants, Catholics and other religions in Ohio's most populated county, no statistical differences were found. From 1978–July 1, 1984, the frequency of all cytogenetically abnormal chromosome results observed in Ohio amniocenteses to women ⩾35 was 2.48 per cent (187/7536). Of these, 2.15 per cent (162/7536) had unbalanced karyotypes. Future maximum amniocentesis utilization for women ⩾35 is estimated at 60–70 per cent.     

赣东北岩浆混合杂岩体的锆石U-Pb年龄

赣东北横峰县港边岩浆混合杂岩体组成极为复杂,具有明显的岩浆混合特点,偏酸性岩浆端员、基性岩浆端员、岩浆混合单位等在野外均能见及。该岩浆混合杂岩体中偏酸性端员肉红色角闪石石英正长岩中颗粒级锆石U Pb定年结果表明,其形成时代为445±4Ma,反映为加里东期产物;同时获得的残留锆石U Pb年龄值2958±62Ma,说明该岩浆混合杂岩体中存在中太古代残留锆石,该年龄值也是目前已知的江西省境内最老的残留锆石U Pb年龄值。     

金矿床测年方法的某些进展

本文系统地阐述了国内外有关金矿床同位素定年方面的最新进展和古地磁法、天然裂变径迹法的基本原理 ,并对常用同位素定年法的适用性和局限性进行了评述     

Transabdominal chorionic villus sampling: Fetal loss rate in relation to maternal and gestational age

In this paper we report the fetal loss rate in relation to both maternal and gestational age in 1764 pregnant women who underwent transabdominal chorionic villus sampling (TA-CVS) between January 1986 and August 1990. The fetal loss rate, considered as a proportion of continuing pregnancies, decreased with advancing gestational age at sampling from 4.3 per cent before 9 weeks to 0.4 per cent at or after 13 weeks, the difference being statistically significant (p <0.025). The fetal loss rate increased from 1.6 per cent in women under 30 to 2.4 per cent in women of 40 years or over, but the difference was not statistically significant. Considering that the total fetal loss rate before 28 weeks' gestation was on average 1.91 percent (1.3 per cent under 35 years and 2.8 per cent in women of 35 or over), we believe that TA-CVS is a safe and effective technique for prenatal diagnosis of genetic diseases.     

The influence of serum screening on the amniocentesis rate in women of advanced maternal age

We investigated the effect of maternal serum screening on the amniocentesis (AC) rate in women of advanced maternal age. The AC rate after maternal serum screening was compared in two groups of women with a singleton pregnancy, 855 women of 30–35 years and 98 of 36 years and older. In our population, 34·1 per cent of the women of 36 years or older were ‘screen-positive’ for Down syndrome. Only 41·2 per cent of these women chose to undergo AC as opposed to 88·2 per cent in the younger age group. Within the older age group, the tendency to avoid AC increased with increasing age. Maternal serum screening led to a significant decrease in the AC rate in the older women. In this group, a comparison between the ‘a priori’ and the calculated risk might have had more influence on the decision to undergo AC than being screen-positive or screen-negative as such. We conclude that maternal serum screening had a major effect on the AC rate in women of advanced maternal age. This is of importance in a society in which the average maternal age is steadily increasing.     

Transabdominal villus sampling in early second trimester: A safe sampling method for women of advanced age

Transabdominal chorionic villus sampling (TA-CVS) was performed in 707 viable singleton pregnancies to exclude chromosomal abnormalities. Maternal age ranged between 36 and 49 years (mean 37·9 years); gestational age varied between 10·2 and 18·3 weeks (mean 13·3 weeks). In 639 women (90·4 per cent), a sufficient amount of chorionic tissue (⩾ 10 mg) was obtained after one needle insertion; in 66 women (9·3 per cent) two insertions were needed. An abnormal chromosome pattern was established in 19 cases (2·9 per cent). Vaginal bleeding or spotting within 28 days after TA-CVS occurred in 11 cases (1·5 per cent). The completed follow-up of 678 chromosomally normal pregnancies showed an overall fetal loss rate of 2·6 per cent before 28 weeks. The overall perinatal mortality was 0·9 per cent. When relating fetal loss to gestational age at TA-CVS, this was 6·6 per cent in women sampled before 12 weeks against only 1·8 per cent after 12 weeks. At the same time, the percentage of fetal loss occurring within 2 weeks following the procedure was 75 and 30 per cent, respectively. It is suggested that these data reflect the decline in spontaneous abortion rate during this particular period of pregnancy. It is concluded that TA-CVS is an effective procedure which, when performed after the natural decrease of fetal loss, appears to be a safe option for women of advanced maternal age.     

广东省耕地地力等级研究与评价

广东省耕地地力等级研究与评价工作根据《全国耕地类型区、耕地地力等级划分》标准为依据，以土种为评价单元，采用的方法有归纳法、限制因素法、专家经验法，建立了省级土种数据库、耕地地力评价指标体系，并对各等级耕地进行面积统计、科学评价。研究结果表明，广东省水稻田地力等级分为八个等级，以一至四等为主，占水稻田总面积的87．1％；一、二等的水稻田占水稻田总面积的32．3％，是高产稳产农田；三至八等水稻田占水稻田总面积的67．7％，是粮食生产的主要基地，也是主要的中低产水稻田。必须针对后者的障碍因素，因地制宜采取不同的改良措施，加强改造，提高地力。旱地地力分为九个等级，全省高产旱地比例较低，一至四等旱地只占旱地总面积的7．9％，五至八等旱地占旱地总面积的73．79％，是经济作物和水果的主要生产基地。低产的旱地在田间管理上必须重视施用有机肥，增加土壤粘粒，培肥地力，提高作物产量，促进农业生产的发展。     

广东省坡耕地状况及其利用改良对策

广东省坡耕地面积６６．７９万ｈｍ２，占耕地总面积的２３．４８％．是广东省旱粮、油、糖、烟、热带亚热带果树以及热作等的生产基地，在农业生产上具有举足轻重的地位．但由于大部分坡耕地是顺坡开垦，重用轻养，耕作粗放，少施肥等，以致存在土壤有机质偏低，氮、磷、钾养分贫乏，土壤酸度大，耕层浅薄，砂化严重，干旱，农作物产量低等问题。然而，坡耕地土层深厚，环境条件优越，水热充足，生产潜力大。针对坡耕地的这些状况，提出：搞好农地整治，变“三跑地”为“三保地”；用养结合，以地养地；因地制宜，合理利用；增施化学肥料，调节土壤养分等对策。     

Effect of arsenic and mercury speciation on inhibition of respiration rate in activated sludge systems

The inhibition effect of arsenite, As(III), arsenate, As(V), inorganic mercury, Hg(II) and methylmercury, MeHg, on the respiration rate of activated heterotrophic sludge microorganisms was evaluated. As(III) and MeHg were much more toxic to activated sludge than As(V) and Hg(II) respectively. The effect of various experimental parameters on the toxicity, such as sludge age, concentration of suspended solids and exposure time, was investigated. An increase of sludge age or the concentration of suspended solids reduces the observed inhibition. Longer exposure seems to dramatically increase the inhibition of As(III), MeHg and Hg(II) during the first hours of exposure, while the later inhibition increases at a slower rate. On the contrary, in the presence of As(V), 24 hours after exposure, the respiration rate was similar to that of the control biomass.     

The poison gland of the antMyrmicaria eumenoides and its role in recruitment communication

Summary The antMyrmicaria eumenoides is a significant arthropod predator. For rapid attraction of large numbers of nestmates to newly discovered food sources the ants use an efficient recruitment communication system based on the poison gland secretion. Workers exhibit age-based division of labour. Young workers perform brood-care; their poison gland reservoir develops and reaches its final size of 0.5 µl at an age of 6 weeks, when they become foragers. The secretion deposited during combat with enemies or prey is composed of equal amounts of both a high volatile and a low volatile fraction. Within the high volatile fraction (+)—limonene is the main component (97%) and is the only olfactory trigger to alert ants in the vicinity and to recruit them to places of combat, where they assemble. Ants respond to synthetic (+)—limonene in exactly the same way as to the poison gland secretion when applied at the same airborne concentrations. Further components of the high volatile fraction are four additional monoterpene hydrocarbons and hexanoic nitrile. The high volatile and the low volatile fraction of the poison gland secretion each have dual functions: The low volatiles, of which the main component is an alkaloid, serve as a fixative and extend the effective period of the limonene signal by modifying its evaporation kinetics. On the other hand the high volatile recruitment signal (+)—limonene is also the solvent for the alkaloid and enhances its spreading on the surface of the cuticle of arthropod enemies or prey.