Chondroectodermal dysplasia (Ellis-van Creveld syndrome) has previously been diagnosed prenatally only once, using fetoscopy. We report on two consecutive pregnancies in a woman at risk of having a child with the syndrome during which fetoscopic visualization was performed. Ellis-van Creveld syndrome was diagnosed prenatally in one instance, while it could be excluded in the other one. Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of the syndrome is discussed. 相似文献
The possibility of adopting national targets for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from tropical deforestation in a future international climate treaty has received increasing attention recently.
This attention has been prompted by proposals to this end and more intensified talks on possible commitments for developing
countries beyond the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Kyoto Protocol. We analyze four main scientific
and political challenges associated with national targets for emissions from tropical deforestation: (1) reducing the uncertainties
in emission inventories, (2) preserving the environmental integrity of the treaty, (3) promoting political acceptance and
participation in the regime, and (4) providing economic incentives for reduced deforestation. We draw the following conclusions.
(1) Although there are large uncertainties in carbon flux from deforestation, these are in the same range as for other emissions
included in the current Kyoto protocol (i.e., non-CO2 GHGs), and they can be reduced. However, for forest degradation processes the uncertainties are larger. A large challenge
lies in building competence and institutions for monitoring the full spectrum of land use changes in developing countries.
(2 and 3) Setting targets for deforestation is difficult, and uncertainties in future emissions imply a risk of creating ‘tropical
hot air’. However, there are proposals that may sufficiently deal with this, and these proposals may also have the advantage
of making the targets more attractive, politically speaking. Moreover, we conclude that while a full carbon accounting system
will likely be politically unacceptable for tropical countries, the current carbon accounting system should be broadened to
include forest degradation in order to safeguard environmental integrity. (4) Doubts can be cast over the possible effect
a climate regime alone will have on deforestation rates, though little thorough analysis of this issue has been made.
The destruction of land and forced migration during the Anfal attacks against the Kurds in Iraq in the late 1980s has been reported to have severe consequences for agricultural development. A reconstruction program to aid people in returning to their lands was launched in 1991. To assess the agricultural situation in the Duhok governorate during the pre-Anfal (A), post-Anfal (B), reconstruction (C), and present (D) periods, we mapped winter crops by focusing on inter-annual variability in vegetation greenness, using satellite images. The results indicate a decrease in cultivated area between period A and B, and a small increase between period B and C. This supports reports of a decline in cultivated area related to the Anfal campaign, and indicates increased activity during the reconstruction program. Period D showed a potential recovery with a cropland area similar to period A. 相似文献
The dielectric procperties of MSWI bottom ash as a function of volumetric water content (VWC) are reported in this paper. The objective was to aid the development of microwave based non-invasive emission monitoring and control system for various bottom ash applications. The dielectric measurements were made, on a 1.5-year-old bottom ash, with an electrical network analyzer in microwave range (300 MHz–1.5 GHz). The VWC of the samples ranged between 0.05 and 0.40 m3?m?3. The relationship between the dielectric permittivity and the VWC was modeled with an empirical model and a physically based Birchak model (BM). The results showed that a linear relationship existed between the permittivity and the VWC at higher water contents (>0.25 m3?m?3). However, at lower water contents (<0.25 m3?m?3), the relationship between the permittivity and the WVC was affected by the composition of the bottom ash. The permittivity measurement, with the current method, was not affected by high salt concentrations (10 and 20 dS/m). The empirical model, as compared to BM, provided the best fit between the actual and the predicted water content. The root mean square error (RMSE) values were 0.008–0.010 and 0.06–0.09 m3?m?3 for the empirical and the Birchak model, respectively. 相似文献
The aim of this study is to assess the impact of two forms of short-term knowledge communication—lectures and group deliberations—on public managers’ policy beliefs regarding genetic biodiversity in the Baltic Sea. Genetic biodiversity is a key component of biological variation, but despite scientific knowledge and far-reaching political goals, genetic biodiversity remains neglected in marine management. Previous research highlights lack of knowledge among managers as one explanation to the implementation deficit. This multidisciplinary study builds on the identified need for an improved knowledge transfer between science and ongoing management. A basic knowledge package on genetic biodiversity in the Baltic Sea was presented as either a lecture or a deliberative group discussion to two separate samples of public managers who are involved in Baltic Sea and other biodiversity management at the regional level in Sweden. The empirical findings show that the communicated information has an impact on the public managers’ beliefs on genetic biodiversity of the Baltic Sea. Lectures seem more efficient to transfer knowledge on this theme. Those who received information through a lecture strengthen their confidence in area protection as a management tool to conserve genetic diversity. They were also more convinced of the obligation of authorities at national and regional level to take on larger responsibility for genetic conservation than those managers who participated in a deliberative discussion.
The wild mink has gained acceptance as a sentinel species in environmental monitoring. However, only limited data are available in the literature on factors driving variability in concentrations of organic pollutants in this species. This study characterizes the differences in contaminant concentrations in subcutaneous fat of male mink from four different areas in Sweden and demonstrates how age, season and body condition influence concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners (including methoxylated forms, MeO-PBDEs), as well as the pesticides dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), chlordane and hexachlorobenzene (HCB). The data were statistically treated using multiple regression and principal component analysis. The ∑PCB concentration and concentrations of PCB congeners 138, 156, 157, 180, 170/190, 189, 194, 206, 209 as well as PBDE 153/154 varied with age. Season had an influence on ∑PCB, PBDE 47 and PBDE 153/154 concentrations, as well as concentrations of most PCB congeners, with the exception of PCB 101, 110, 141 and 182/187. Lean mink had higher concentrations of most PCBs and PBDEs than mink with larger fat depots. The analyzed pesticides (DDE, oxychlordane, HCB) showed no systematic variation with season, age or body condition. The concentrations of MeO-PBDEs were generally low and 6MeO-PBDE 47 was the most commonly detected MeO-PBDE in mink from marine, brackish and freshwater areas. The results indicate that age, season and body condition are factors that may influence the concentrations of PCBs and PBDEs, and it is thus recommended to take these factors into account when analyzing mink exposure data. 相似文献
Predation and competition are both strong structuring forces in community dynamics, but their relative importance is disputed.
In a laboratory experiment, we evaluated the relative importance of competition and predation from juvenile and adult brown
trout, respectively, on foraging performance of groups of three stone loaches. We observed loach consumption rate, time spent
inactive, and aggressive interactions between juvenile trout and loach in artificial stream sections. The controlled experiments
were complemented by examining stone loach population densities in natural systems as functions of juvenile and adult trout.
In the laboratory experiments, increasing numbers of competitors decreased prey availability, which ultimately led to lower
consumption rates for loach. Loach responded to predation risk by increasing time being inactive, thereby decreasing consumption
rates. However, there were no effects of juvenile trout competitors on loach consumption rates in treatments with adult trout
presence, suggesting no additive effect of predation and competition on loach foraging success. Partial regressions of loach
and trout densities in natural streams revealed a positive relationship between juvenile trout and loach, and a negative relationship
between adult trout and loach. Our laboratory and field data thus suggest that predation is a limiting factor for loach success,
and predator presence could mediate species coexistence at high interspecific densities. 相似文献
In the development of oxy-fuel combustion, reburning of nitrogen oxides, recycled with the flue gases, has been investigated for primary NOx control. Reduction of between 50 and 80% of the recycled nitrogen oxides has been measured. The present work evaluates the performance of gaseous and solid fuels as agents for reduction of nitrogen oxides by comparing experimental and modelling work performed at Chalmers University of Technology with different fuels. It is shown that the reduction is similar during propane and lignite firing, but that the lignite has slightly higher reduction efficiency. Differences in combustion temperature and heterogeneous effects are possible explanations. 相似文献
A nitrogen (N) budget was constructed for a period of 6 years (1988–1993) in a Norway spruce stand with current deposition
of 19 kg N and 22 kg S ha−1 year−1. The stand was fertilized annually by addition of 100 kg N and 114 kg S ha−1 (NS). Above and below ground biomass, litterfall, fine- root litter production, soil solution and net mineralization were
measured to estimate pools, fluxes and accumulation of nitrogen. The average needle litterfall in control (C) and NS plots
in 1993 was 2.2 and 2.5 ton ha−1 year−1, respectively. The fine root litter production prior to treatment (1987) was 4.4 ton ha−1 year−1 and after treatment (1993) it was 4.5 and 3.9 ton ha−1 year−1 in C and NS plots, respectively. Net N mineralization in the soil profile down to 50 cm was estimated to be 86 and 115 kg
ha−1 year−1 in C and NS plots, respectively in 1992. During the treatment period the uptake of N in the needle biomass in C and NS plots
was 29 and 77 kg ha−1 year−1, respectively. No N was accumulated in needles of C plot where the NS plots accumulated 34 kg ha−1 year−1. Of the annually added inorganic N to NS plots 47% was accumulated in the above and below ground biomass and 37% in the soil.
N fluxes via fine-root litter production in the C plots were much higher (54 kg ha−1 year−1) than that via litterfall (29 kg ha−1 year−1). The corresponding values in the NS plots were 65 and 43 kg ha−1 year−1, respectively. Most of the net N mineralization occurred in the FH layer and upper mineral soil. It is concluded that fine
root litter and litterfall play an important role in the cycling of N. Despite a high N uptake the losses of N in litterfall
and fine root litter resulted in an incorporation of N in soil organic matter. 相似文献