Renatal diagnosis of mosaic tetrasomy 12p/trisomy 12p by fluorescent in situ hybridization in amniotic fluid cells: A case report of pallister–killian syndrome

A prenatally detected case of a rare mosaic tetrasomy 12p/trisomy 12p is reported, presenting as the well-known accessory isochromosome 12p and a supernumerary single 12p marker in 17/24 and 6/24 clones of cultured amniotic fluid cells, respectively. The chromosomal nature of both marker chromosomes was investigated in cultured amniotic fluid cells by fluorescent in situ hybridization with various probes: the 12-centromeric probes pa12H8 and D12Z3, a whole chromosome 12 paint, and the chromosome 12p-specific paint M28. DNA analysis revealed a maternal origin of the extra 12p material. After counselling, the parents requested termination of pregnancy. Inspection and autopsy of the fetus revealed many of the dysmorphisms and internal structural abnormalities of the Pallister–Killian syndrome.     

Prenatal diagnosis of Freeman–Sheldon syndrome (whistling face)

The diagnosis of Freeman–Sheldon syndrome was made by ultrasonographic evaluation of a 20-week fetus with a positive family history. The ultrasonographic features were abnormalities of the extremities and mouth.     

Immediate prenatal diagnosis of Zellweger syndrome by direct measurement of very long chain fatty acids in chorionic villus cells

We report a gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method which allows the very long chain fatty acids content of trophoblastic tissue to be directly measured in samples collected by biopsy between 8 and 11 weeks of gestation. This method has been successfully applied to the detection of fetal Zellweger syndrome in two pregnant women who had previously delivered affected infants. In one of them, increased concentrations of C26:0 (0.254 versus 0.108±0.035 μ/mg proteins) and C24:0 (1.32 versus 0.815±0.325 μ/mg proteins) in trophoblast indicated that the fetus had Zellweger syndrome, a diagnosis confirmed by pathological findings after abortion. In the second case, the pregnancy was allowed to proceed, on the basis of normal concentrations of very long chain fatty acids in trophoblastic tissue, and its outcome was actually a healthy newborn.     

城乡接合部居民楼火灾风险评价及防控对策研究

为了准确探究城乡接合部居民楼火灾事故致因机理,预防与控制城乡接合部日常生产与生活过程中引发火灾事故的有效途径,建立信息面更全、实际性更强的火灾风险评估模型是目前行之有效的手段。基于湖南省某地发生火灾事故的实际情况,根据事故树分析法,以城乡接合部居民楼火灾事故为顶事件构建事故树,计算得到事故树的最小割集、最小径集和结构重要度,研究城乡接合部居民楼火灾事故的发生模式、致因因素及影响程度,为改善城乡接合部居民楼火灾安全提供重要的理论依据,并提出相应的防控措施及对策。     

Evaluation of thermal reaction for two azo compounds by using 20-L apparatus and calorimetry

Azo compounds are widely involved in the industrial processes of dyes, pigments, initiators, and blowing agents. Unfortunately, these compounds have a bivalent unstable –NN– composition, which can be readily broken when the ambient temperature is elevated. Self-accelerating decomposition might cause a runaway reaction and lead to a fire, explosion, or leakage when the cooling system fails or other events occur. This study investigated the explosion properties, thermal stability parameters, and thermal hazard and mechanism of 2,2′–azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) and 2,2′–azobis–2–methylbutyronitrile (AMBN). We used a 20-L apparatus, vent sizing package 2, synchronous thermal analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry under explosive, adiabatic, and dynamic conditions to acquire the explosive curves, thermal curves, and thermodynamic parameters of the substances. Moreover, the differential isoconversional method (Friedman method) and ASTM E698 equation were employed to obtain the apparent activation energy E_a. All the experimental results revealed that AIBN is more dangerous than AMBN. The E_a of AIBN was lower than that of AMBN. The results can be used to construct an azo compound thermal hazard database for use for searches and reference examples by industry and related research areas.     

Pyrolysis of waste animal fats in a fixed-bed reactor: Production and characterization of bio-oil and bio-char

Several animal (lamb, poultry and swine) fatty wastes were pyrolyzed under nitrogen, in a laboratory scale fixed-bed reactor and the main products (liquid bio-oil, solid bio-char and syngas) were obtained. The purpose of this study is to produce and characterize bio-oil and bio-char obtained from pyrolysis of animal fatty wastes. The maximum production of bio-oil was achieved at a pyrolysis temperature of 500 °C and a heating rate of 5 °C/min. The chemical (GC–MS analyses) and spectroscopic analyses (FTIR analyses) of bio-oil showed that it is a complex mixture consisting of different classes of organic compounds, i.e., hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, cyclic compounds…etc.), carboxylic acids, aldehydes, ketones, esters,…etc. According to fuel properties, produced bio-oils showed good properties, suitable for its use as an engine fuel or as a potential source for synthetic fuels and chemical feedstock. Obtained bio-chars had low carbon content and high ash content which make them unattractive for as renewable source energy.     

Hazard property classification of waste according to the recent propositions of the EC using different methods

Hazard classification of waste is a necessity, but the hazard properties (named “H” and soon “HP”) are still not all defined in a practical and operational manner at EU level. Following discussion of subsequent draft proposals from the Commission there is still no final decision. Methods to implement the proposals have recently been proposed: tests methods for physical risks, test batteries for aquatic and terrestrial ecotoxicity, an analytical package for exhaustive determination of organic substances and mineral elements, surrogate methods for the speciation of mineral elements in mineral substances in waste, and calculation methods for human toxicity and ecotoxicity with M factors.In this paper the different proposed methods have been applied to a large assortment of solid and liquid wastes (>1 0 0).Data for 45 wastes – documented with extensive chemical analysis and flammability test – were assessed in terms of the different HP criteria and results were compared to LoW for lack of an independent classification. For most waste streams the classification matches with the designation provided in the LoW. This indicates that the criteria used by LoW are similar to the HP limit values.This data set showed HP 14 ‘Ecotoxic chronic’ is the most discriminating HP. All wastes classified as acute ecotoxic are also chronic ecotoxic and the assessment of acute ecotoxicity separately is therefore not needed. The high number of HP 14 classified wastes is due to the very low limit values when stringent M factors are applied to total concentrations (worst case method). With M factor set to 1 the classification method is not sufficiently discriminating between hazardous and non-hazardous materials. The second most frequent hazard is HP 7 ‘Carcinogenic’. The third most frequent hazard is HP 10 ‘Toxic for reproduction’ and the fourth most frequent hazard is HP 4 “Irritant – skin irritation and eye damage”. In a stepwise approach, it seems relevant to assess HP 14 first, then, if the waste is not classified as hazardous, to assess subsequently HP 7, HP 10 and HP 4, and then if still not classified as hazardous, to assess the remaining properties.The elements triggering the HP 14 classification in order of importance are Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr, Cd and Hg. Progress in the speciation of Zn and Cu is essential for HP 14. Organics were quantified by the proposed method (AFNOR XP X30-489) and need no speciation. Organics can contribute significantly to intrinsic toxicity in many waste materials, but they are only of minor importance for the assessment of HP 14 as the metal concentrations are the main HP 14 classifiers. Organic compounds are however responsible for other toxicological characteristics (hormone disturbance, genotoxicity, reprotoxicity…) and shall be taken into account when the waste is not HP 14 classified.     

Ionic dye adsorption by zinc oxide nanoparticles

The adsorption behaviour of Basic Red 12, Acid Orange 7 and Acid Blue 1 on zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZNP) has been investigated to understand the physicochemical process involved and to explore the possible use of nanoparticles in the treatment and management of textile waste matter. The dye removal capacity of ZNP towards Basic Red 12, Acid Orange 7 and Acid Blue 1 was found to be 15.64, 6.78 and 6.38 mg g^?1, respectively. The adsorption process was pH dependent and optimum pH values of 9.0, 2.0 and 4.0 were obtained for Basic Red 12, Acid Orange 7 and Acid Blue 1, respectively. Equilibrium was established after 1.0 h for all dyes. Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models were applied to the system. The adsorbent ZNP was characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) techniques. SEM analysis revealed the noticeable nanoporous morphology of the material. The results of FTIR spectroscopy showed that the process is driven by an electrostatic complexation mechanism. XRD studies revealed the nanocrystalline structure of ZNP. BET surface area measurement suggested a high pore volume and large surface area for the adsorbent. The kinetic measurements suggested pseudo-second-order kinetic processes with high regression coefficients and smaller standard error of estimate values and lower residual sum of squares. The thermodynamic measurements suggested that all processes were exothermic and accompanied by negative values for Δ G⁰, Δ S⁰ and Δ H⁰.     

Effects of landfill gas on subtropical woody plants

An account is given of the influence of landfill gas on tree growth in the field at Gin Drinkers' Bay (GDB) landfill, Hong Kong, and in the laboratory. Ten species (Acacia confusa, Albizzia lebbek, Aporusa chinensis, Bombax malabaricum, Castanopsis fissa, Liquidambar formosana, Litsea glutinosa, Machilus breviflora, Pinus elliottii, andTristania conferta), belonging to eight families, were transplanted to two sites, one with a high concentration of landfill gas in the cover soil (high-gas site, HGS) and the other with a relatively low concentration of gas (low-gas site, LGS). Apart from the gaseous composition, the general soil properties were similar. A strong negative correlation between tree growth and landfill gas concentration was observed. A laboratory study using the simulated landfill gas to fumigate seedlings of the above species showed that the adventitious root growth ofAporusa chinensis, Bombax malabaricum, Machilus breviflora, andTristania confera was stimulated by the gas, with shallow root systems being induced.Acacia confusa, Albizzia lebbek, andLitsea glutinosa were gas-tolerant, while root growth ofCastanopsis fissa, Liquidambar formosana, andPinus elliottii was inhibited. In most cases, shoot growth was not affected, exceptions beingBombax malabaricum, Liquidambar formosana, andTristania conferta, where stunted growth and/or reduced foliation was observed. A very high CO₂ concentration in cover soil limits the depth of the root system. Trees with a shallow root system become very susceptible to water stress. The effects of low O₂ concentration in soil are less important than the effects of high CO₂ concentration.Acacia confusa, Albizzia lebbek, andTristania conferta are suited for growth on subtropical completed landfills mainly due to their gas tolerance and/or drought tolerance.     

Use of tree aggregations in forest ecology and management

Two recent studies using tree aggregations to analyze forest age-structure stability and past forest structure are flawed. A better understanding of aggregation dynamics is needed before aggregation analysis is used in forest management.