苯并[a]芘对马氏珠母贝D型面盘幼虫发育的影响

苯并芘(B[a]P)已广泛分布于海洋环境中,低等海洋无脊椎动物从受精卵开始整个生长发育过程都面临着B[a]P等多环芳烃类污染物(PAHs)的威胁。本实验以热带海洋优势贝类马氏珠母贝(Pinctada maetensii)作为材料,研究B[a]P对马氏珠母贝D型面盘幼虫发育的影响。将幼虫暴露于不同浓度(1、2、4、10和15μg·L-1)B[a]P中,在暴露后第12、24、36、48、72、84小时,分别测定其D型面盘幼虫的死亡率和畸形数。结果表明:B[a]P对D型面盘幼虫死亡率的影响明显,死亡率与时间呈正相关,其中4和10μg·L-1浓度组的响应最敏感。在1～10μg·L-1浓度范围内,死亡率与浓度呈正相关;B[a]P暴露对马氏珠母贝D型面盘幼虫的形态也有显著影响,且随着浓度的增大产生畸形个体的时间越短。另外,B[a]P对马氏珠母贝D型面盘幼虫的半数致死浓度(LC50)随着时间的推移逐渐降低后趋于稳定,48h时LC50趋于稳定,为21.56μg·L-1。研究表明,B[a]P对马氏珠母贝D形幼虫的发育具有不利影响,并可能影响其种群结构。     

Fetal therapy: practical ethical considerations

Progress in prenatal diagnosis can lead to the diagnosis of severe fetal abnormalities for which natural history anticipates a fatal outcome or the development of severe disability despite optimal postnatal care. Intrauterine therapy can be offered in these selected cases. Prenatal diagnosis is the only field of medicine in which termination is an option in the management of severe diseases. Fetal therapy has therefore developed as an alternative to fatalist expectant prenatal management as well as to termination of pregnancy (TOP). There are few standards of fetal care that have gone beyond the stage of equipoise and even fewer have been established based on appropriate studies comparing pre- and postnatal care. Several ethical questions are being raised as fetal surgery develops, including basic Hippocratic principles of patients' autonomy and doctors' duty of competence moving the boundaries between experimental surgery, therapeutic innovation and standard care. In addition, the technical success of a fetal intervention can only rarely fully predict the postnatal outcome. Managing uncertainty regarding long-term morbidity and the possibility for fetal therapy to change the risk of perinatal death into that of severe handicap remains a critical factor affecting women's choice for TOP as an alternative to fetal therapy. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Prenatal diagnosis of Dandy-Walker malformation in a family displaying X-linked inheritance

The diagnosis of Dandy-Walker malformation was made on the ultrasonographic evaluation of a 33-week male fetus. Pedigree analysis revealed a family history of isolated Dandy-Walker malformation in three other males, suggesting an X-linked recessive inheritance pattern.