Methodological considerations in forecasting Saudi Arabian economic growth

The author surveys a number of factors responsible for Saudi Arabian economic growth and concludes that, contrary to popular belief, the petroleum sectors have had more than just a short-run transitory stimulating impact on the domestic economy. It appears that changes in the level of exports (and resulting government expenditures) have a number of impacts on the non-oil sector of the economy which take some time for their full effect to be felt. Government expenditures have become somewhat independent of current oil exports, so the current oil glut and falling revenues for Saudi Arabia are not likely to be translated into slower non-oil income growth.     

Normal and abnormal fetal cardiac anatomy

The heart is often perceived as a difficult organ to understand by ultrasound during fetal life. This is undoubtedly reflected in the low detection rate of cardiac abnormalities as compared to those of most other organ systems in the fetus. In this article we start by updating classical concepts of cardiac embryology, many of which were previously difficult to understand since they were overly simplistic or purely observational. We then lead on to the structure and growth of the fully formed fetal heart where we review the anatomy and ultrasound appearances in detail and provide comparisons with major abnormalities. We emphasise the fact that a solid understanding of cardiac anatomy can enable those involved in fetal medicine to make full use of the views of the heart that are obtained by ultrasound and which are often only transient. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

整地施肥对尾叶桉生长及土壤性状的影响

整地施肥试验结果表明，全垦、带垦和穴垦三种整地方式以及施肥对尾叶按造林成活率和保存率均无明显的影响，成活率在９５％－９８．８％之间，保存率在９２．１％－９７．７％之间．整地能改变土壤性状，如土壤孔隙度全垦为５７．８８％。穴垦为４９．４２％；对林木生长有促进作用，但作用效果很快减少，如造林３年后的林木材积全垦、带垦分别为穴垦的１３６．４％和１２０．０％，５年后却分别下降到１１６．５％和１０８．３％．施肥可提高土壤养分，促进林木生长．造林５年后的调查结果，穴垦施肥林地的土壤有机质、速效Ｎ分别为１５．４４７ｇ／ｋｇ和４９．２３０ｍｇ／ｋｇ，林木年均树高生长为１．２５ｍ；不施肥处理的有机质、速效Ｎ分别为１０．３８８ｇ／ｋｇ和３５．７１５ｍｇ／ｋｇ，林木年平均生长量为０．３５ｍ；林木材积施肥处理的为不施肥的９．８倍．整地施肥还可提高林木叶片的养分含量．     

经济发展中人口城市化与经济增长相关分析比较研究

本文利用OECD国家和世界其他主要国家的人口城市化与经济增长的数据，对人口城市化与经济增长进行了相关分析，以揭示人口城市化与经济增长的关系模式。判断得到我国人口城市化仍处于低增长水平的线性阶段，城市化水平，大大滞后于经济发展水平；大大落后于发达国家同等经济水平时的城市化水平，经济发展与人口城市化的相互促进作用还没有得到充分发挥。为此，文章提出了要加快我国城市化发展，超前于经济的增长是一个理性选择。     

湿热对复合材料粘接修理裂纹铝合金板疲劳性能的影响

目的 研究湿热对复合材料粘接修理结构疲劳性能的影响.方法 在表面处理工艺中分别选择KH550和AC130两种偶联剂,设计制备一系列复合材料粘接修理试样.在温度为55℃、相对湿度为98％的环境试验箱中湿热处理72 h.测试湿热前后复合材料粘接修理结构的疲劳性能.结果 复合材料粘接修理后,采用KH550、AC130修理试样的疲劳寿命分别是未修理试样的4.3、5.2倍.湿热处理后,相较于未修理试样,采用KH550的修理试样,疲劳寿命提高了3.8倍,而采用AC130的试样为4.6倍.结论 湿热处理导致粘接界面和复合材料补片的性能下降,从而造成疲劳性能降低.采用AC130偶联剂比采用KH550偶联剂能够获得更好的疲劳性能,且湿热后,其疲劳性能下降较少.采用AC130的试样,其裂纹扩展速率比较低.     

Prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of congenital heart disease associated with intrauterine growth retardation. A report of 2 cases

Two fetuses with extreme growth retardation (IUGR) of 31 and 34 weeks gestation were studied using a combination of two dimensional echocardiography (2DE), pulse wave Doppler (PWD) and differential measurement of the instantaneous vessel diameter techniques. The first fetus was diagnosed as having univentricular heart or possible double outlet right ventricle (DORV). Descending aorta blood flow was reduced as was indexing for weight. The second fetus was diagnosed as having univentricular heart with periodic bigeminal and trigeminal rhythm. Descending aorta blood flow was measured on two occasions and was reduced both times. Indexing for weight was within normal limits the first time and showed gross reduction on the second occasion prior to fetal demise. Fetal death occurred in both cases at 34 weeks gestation. Cardiovascular evaluation in fetuses with IUGR is useful as the detection of severe congenital cardiac abnormalities may substantially alter the management of these pregnancies, in particular caesarean section may be avoided when the prognosis for the fetus is considered hopeless.     

Prenatal analysis of the insulin receptor gene in a family with leprechaunism

Leprechaunism is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by intrauterine and postnatal growth restriction, loss of glucose homeostasis, and severe insulin resistance. This disease is caused by a failure of function of the insulin receptor and is lethal early in life. Here we report the prenatal diagnosis of leprechaunism in one consanguineous family, Atl-1, in which two homozygous-affected siblings died with leprechaunism. The mutation in their insulin receptor impaired insulin binding and altered receptor signalling. Prenatal diagnosis could not be accomplished using insulin binding to cultured amniocytes, but was possible using mutational analysis of the insulin receptor gene in DNA from amniotic cells.     

Artificial instillation of amniotic fluid as a new technique for the diagnostic evaluation of cases of oligohydramnios

In cases of severe oligohydramnios, sonographic diagnosis is hampered by poor visibility and by increased fetal flexion. Therefore, 74 artificial instillations of amniotic fluid were performed in 50 pregnancies by sonographic guidance. Fetal diseases included Potter's syndrome, obstructive uropathy, cystic kidneys (20 cases); Meckel's syndrome, C. de Lange syndrome, cytomegaly fetopathy (1 case each); VATER association (2 cases); triploidy (5 cases); severe intrauterine growth retardation (8 cases); and premature rupture of membranes (12 cases). By improved sonographic visibility and the observation of fetal behaviour (drinking, filling of stomach and bladder, voiding of bladder after artificial instillation of amniotic fluid), the fetal anatomy could be studied more accurately, malformations could be identified or excluded, and bladder function could be examined. Thus, differentiation between fetuses without functioning kidneys and those with severe intrauterine growth retardation becomes possible. Further, re-aspiration on the day following instillation permitted determination of the karyotype. Finally, the artificial instillation of amniotic fluid is a hazardous intervention (rupture of membranes, labour) and should be reserved only for a small number of selected cases with diagnostically unclear oligohydramnios. For these cases, it seems to be the method of choice permitting a variety of diagnostic information to be obtained.     

红水河流域资源开发研究

红水河流域是中国西南地区建设中的水电基地和有色金属工业基地。本报告在分析流域经济贫困落后、自然环境脆弱等不利因素对流域资源开发和经济增长的影响的基础上,提出了建设有色金属工业综合体、改进农业生产、调整流域城市体系以及改善生态环境等方面的措施。