Flow cytometric method to measure urea-resistant alkaline phosphatase from blood neutrophils for use in the prenatal screening of Down's syndrome

The histochemical measurement of urea-resistant alkaline phosphatase from maternal blood neutrophils is known to have a high detection rate for the prenatal detection of Down's syndrome pregnancies. However, because the histochemical method is laborious and subjective to use, it has not gained widespread acceptance in prenatal screening programmes. We present a simple and objective method for the measurement of urea-resistant alkaline phosphatase by flow cytometry. The method should allow the design of larger studies aimed at evaluating the role of neutrophil urea-resistant alkaline phosphatase in the prenatal screening for Down's syndrome.     

Carrier screening for cystic fibrosis

A number of different models of CF carrier screening have now been tested in pilot trials. Apart from opportunistic and cascade testing (which are strictly speaking not true forms of screening), the major programmes have been directed either to young adults in primary care or to pregnant women in antenatal clinics. Only in the latter form of screening has sufficient data been collected to allow conclusions to be reached on the optimum mode of delivery. It seems very probable that when CF carrier screening passes into routine service, it will be the antenatal couple model that is used.     

环境有毒有害物质快速鉴别方法与应用

频发的污染事故严重影响环境质量,危害人群健康,事故的源解析和修复成为了关键问题。而传统的靶向分析方法无法胜任实际工作需求。因此,本研究建立了1)有毒有害物质清单;2)一种针对有毒有害物质的快速高效鉴别方法。将上述方法应用于某场地污染事件,成功筛查鉴定出30种环境高关注度物质,通过数据库比对进一步鉴定了6种危废物质,通过购买标准样品成功验证了4种物质。同时,还通过文献查阅与标样比对确认了另外2种有毒物质。因此,本研究建立的有毒有害物质快速筛查方法为实际环境中的污染物快速鉴别提供了一种可靠的、可行的方法。     

流域水质目标管理技术研究：Ⅴ.水污染防治的环境经济政策

环境经济政策是流域水质目标管理技术的重要组成部分. 通过分析国内外的环境经济政策以及主要经济手段的实施现状与特点,指出我国环境经济政策的不足与问题. 以流域控制单元为对象,提出水污染防治的环境经济政策的基本内涵和特点,以“分区、分类、分级、分期”为基本理念,研究了适合我国流域水质目标管理的环境经济政策框架与构建思路,并对环境财政、环境投融资、市场化、排污收费与污染税、生态补偿与污染赔偿等具体手段进行了阐述,提出环境经济政策的综合实施机制以及相关的政策保障.     

内分泌扰乱化学品活性筛选和测试方法

对近年来对内分泌扰乱化学品(EDCs)的筛选和测试方法进行了述评。目前倾向于采用包括与激素受体结合的亲和力测试、体外和活体测试在内的层式检测法对EDCs的活性进行筛选和测试,并评价人体和野生动物内分泌扰乱的性质、可能性和剂量-反应关系。目前也致力于EDCs的结构-效应关系特别是定量关系的研究,旨在提供一种简便低廉的筛选方法。总的说来,稳定可靠的标准化筛选和检测方法的建立仍待努力。      

电路板环境应力筛选方法效能分析

论述了对设计、工艺成熟电路板组件的环境应力筛选方法,对比恒定高温、温度循环、温度冲击、振动及其组合筛选的筛选度,并进行效能比分析。通过对比各种应力对有较大共性的电路板组件筛选的分析,对GJB 1032进行适当裁减,提出了不少于10个温度循环加随机振动的筛选组合,以适应电路板板级筛选要求,提高效能比。     

First trimester maternal serum placenta growth factor (PIGF)concentrations in pregnancies with fetal trisomy 21 or trisomy 18

Placenta growth factor (PIGF), an angiogenic factor belonging to the vascular endothelial growth factor family, pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) and free β-human chorionic gonadotrophin (β-hCG) were measured in maternal serum from 45 pregnancies with trisomy 21, 45 with trisomy 18 and 493 normal controls at 10–13 completed weeks of gestation. In the normal pregnancies maternal serum PIGF levels increased exponentially with gestation. The median multiple of the median (MoM) PIGF concentration in the trisomy 21 group (1.26 MoM) was significantly higher (p<0.0001) than in the control group (1.00 MoM). In the trisomy 18 group the median PIGF was lower (0.889 MoM) but this did not quite reach significance (p=0.064). The corresponding median MoM values for PAPP-A were 1.00 MoM for the controls, 0.49 MoM for trisomy 21 and 0.16 MoM for trisomy 18. The median MoM values for free β-hCG were 1.00 MoM for the controls, 2.05 MoM for trisomy 21 and 0.38 MoM for trisomy 18. In the control group there was a small but significant correlation of PIGF with free β-hCG (r=+0.1024) and PAPP-A (r=+0.2288). In the trisomy 18 group there was a significant association between PIGF and free β-hCG (r=+0.2629) but not with PAPP-A (r=+0.0038). In the trisomy 21 group there was a small but significant association with PAPP-A (r=+0.1028) but not with free β-hCG (r=+0.0339). The separation of affected and unaffected pregnancies in maternal serum PIGF is small, and therefore it is unlikely that measurement of PIGF would improve screening for these abnormalities provided by the combination of fetal nuchal translucency and maternal serum PAPP-A and free β-hCG. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Between pregnancy biological variability of first trimester markers of Down syndrome: implications for screening in subsequent pregnancies

In a group of 149 women who had undergone routine first trimester screening using fetal nuchal translucency thickness (NT) and maternal serum free β-hCG and pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) in two consecutive pregnancies the within person between pregnancy biological variability of these markers has been assessed. For fetal NT there was no correlation between NT MoM in the first and second pregnancy (r=0.0800). For maternal serum free β-hCG MoM a significant correlation was observed (r=0.4174) as was also found for PAPP-A MoM (r=0.3270). The implications for such between pregnancy marker association is that women who have an increased risk of Down syndrome in their first pregnancy are 1.5–2 times more likely to repeat this event in their next pregnancy. This observation may be useful in counselling women in the first trimester screening of a subsequent pregnancy. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

清河流域水质目标管理技术应用示范

针对清河流域三级水生态功能分区功能定位和水质保护目标,按照"分类、分区、分级、分期"理念,应用流域水质目标管理技术方法,研究清河流域控制单元污染负荷核定、水环境容量计算与分配、污染负荷削减、污染物总量控制等关键技术应用示范,完善流域水质目标管理技术,为清河流域水环境管理提供科技支撑。     

改进密切值法在湖泊富营养化评价中的应用

密切值法(Osculating Method)作为一种多目标优选方法,在水环境质量评价中具有一定的应用.经过改进,将各级营养级别作为评价样本,参与到湖泊水环境样本的矩阵中,引入目标差值率对初始矩阵进行规范化处理,并应用层次分析法,对各评价指标的贡献程度加以确定.将改进后的密切值法应用于湖泊富营养化评价中.经实例分析表明,该方法概念清晰、计算简便实用,保证了湖泊水环境质量评价的科学性,能较好地反映湖泊水环境质量的优劣,并使其与各级营养级别的关系一目了然.