Prenatal detection of mosaic isochromosome 20q: a fourth report with abnormal phenotype

We described a new case of mosaic isochromosome 20q revealed by amniocentesis. The propositus presented with craniofacial dysmorphism, clubfeet, and vertebral abnormalities. A 46,XX,i(20)(q10)[14]/46,XX[1] karyotype was confirmed by FISH on cultured cells. The pregnancy was terminated. From review of literature, fetus with mosaic isochromosome 20q identified on amniocentesis are most likely to be phenotypically and cytogenetically normal after birth. So we performed CGH and array-CGH to exclude another possible imbalance. We discuss here the possible relation between this chromosomal abnormality and the abnormal phenotype. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Present Development Situation of Transgenic Crops and Effect on Ecological Environment

In recent years, genetic engineering technology has been playing a great role in improving crops. As far as property is concerned, transgenic crops are mainly classified into three types. One is anti-herbicide crops; next is anti-disease and anti-insect pest transgenic crops. The third is high added-value transgenic crops, such as insulin tomatoes China has cultivated. We have successfully expressed hepatitis B virus surface antigen genes in tomatoes and potatoes. Besides, scientists have al…     

Increased nuchal translucency in euploid fetuses—what should we be telling the parents?

Nuchal translucency (NT) measurement between 11 and 14 weeks' gestation is an undisputed marker for aneuploidies. When conventional karyotyping is normal, enlarged NT is a strong marker for adverse pregnancy outcome, associated with miscarriage, intrauterine death, congenital heart defects, and numerous other structural defects and genetic syndromes. The risk of adverse outcome is proportional to the degree of NT enlargement. Although the majority of structural anomalies are amenable to ultrasound detection, unspecified genetic syndromes involving developmental delay may only emerge after birth. Concern over these prenatally undetectable conditions is a heavy burden for parents. However, following detection of enlarged NT the majority of babies with normal detailed ultrasound examination and echocardiography will have an uneventful outcome with no increased risk for developmental delay when compared to the general population. Counseling should emphasize this to help parents restore hope in normal pregnancy outcome and infant development. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identifying important species that amplify or mitigate the interactive effects of human impacts on marine food webs

Some species may have a larger role than others in the transfer of complex effects of multiple human stressors, such as changes in biomass, through marine food webs. We devised a novel approach to identify such species. We constructed annual interaction-effect networks (IENs) of the simulated changes in biomass between species of the southeastern Australian marine system. Each annual IEN was composed of the species linked by either an additive (sum of the individual stressor response), synergistic (lower biomass compared with additive effects), or antagonistic (greater biomass compared with additive effects) response to the interaction effect of ocean warming, ocean acidification, and fisheries. Structurally, over the simulation period, the number of species and links in the synergistic IENs increased and the network structure became more stable. The stability of the antagonistic IENs decreased and became more vulnerable to the loss of species. In contrast, there was no change in the structural attributes of species linked by an additive response. Using indices common in food-web and network theory, we identified the species in each IEN for which a change in biomass from stressor effects would disproportionately affect the biomass of other species via direct and indirect local, intermediate, and global predator–prey feeding interactions. Knowing the species that transfer the most synergistic or antagonistic responses in a food-web may inform conservation under increasing multiple-stressor impacts.     

农田土壤碳循环过程及其量化方法

已有研究表明除了作物碳（根际沉积碳和秸秆碳）对农田土壤有机碳（SOC）的输入外，土壤碳还来源于土壤自养微生物固定SOC的贡献以及土壤无机碳（SIC）的固定（无机化学途径和微生物的生物矿化途径）.农田SOC的高低主要受到外源作物碳输入和原有SOC分解的平衡作用.作物碳输入在短期内通常促进SOC的分解，呈现正（根际）激发效应.通过整合分析主要作物的根际激发效应和秸秆还田的激发效应的研究，发现作物根系生长和秸秆还田引起的（根际）激发效应大小平均值分别为75%和67%.尽管秸秆还田通过激发效应引起SOC分解的额外释放，但是土壤残留秸秆碳通常大于激发效应导致SOC的额外损失，因此秸秆还田可能增加SOC的储量.在农田系统中，秸秆碳和根际沉积碳往往共存，这导致土壤碳输入和输出至少有3个碳源（根际沉积碳、秸秆碳和土壤碳），由于多碳源体系的区分方法存在挑战，目前这两种作物碳（根际沉积碳和秸秆碳）对SOC分解的激发效应影响是不清晰的.最后，提出了新量化方法，可以多源区分根际CO₂排放以及SOC中作物碳输入的碳源，以及区分碱性土壤中无机化学和微生物途径对SIC的贡献.研究有助于提高对农田土壤SOC和SIC输入和输出途径的理解，以及农田土壤碳平衡评估的精确度.