Preimplantation genetic diagnosis of the fragile X syndrome by use of linked polymorphic markers

Fragile X syndrome is the most common cause of familial mental retardation. The most common mutation is expansion of a triplet (CGG)_n repeat in the 5′ untranslated region of the FMR1 gene on Xq27.3. The expansion is refractory to PCR due to preferential amplification of the smaller allele in heterozygous cells and the high GC content of the repeat and surrounding sequences. Direct detection of the normal parental alleles in preimplantation embryos has been used for preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) of this disorder. However, this approach is only suitable for approximately 63% of couples due to the heterozygosity of the repeat in the normal population. As an alternative we investigated the use of polymorphic markers flanking the mutation to track the normal and premutation carrying maternal chromosomes in preimplantation embryos. Using a panel of 11 polymorphisms, six (CA)_n repeats and five single nucleotide polymorphisms, diagnosis was developed for 90% of referred couples. Multiplex amplification of informative markers was tested in 300 single buccal cells from interested couples with efficiency and allele drop out (ADO) rates ranging from 69% to 96% and 6% to 18%, respectively. Use of this approach is accurate and applicable to a larger number of patients at risk of transmitting fragile X to their offspring. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A comparison of different lysis buffers to assess allele dropout from single cells for preimplantation genetic diagnosis

Single cell polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) requires high efficiency and accuracy. Allele dropout (ADO), the random amplification failure of one of the two parental alleles, remains the most significant problem in PCR-based PGD testing since it can result in serious misdiagnosis for compound heterozygous or autosomal dominant conditions. A number of different strategies (including the use of lysis buffers to break down the cell and make the DNA accessible) have been employed to combat ADO with varying degrees of success, yet there is still no consensus among PGD centres over which lysis buffer should be used (ESHRE PGD Consortium, 1999 ). To address this issue, PCR amplification of three genes (CFTR, LAMA3 and PKP1) at different chromosomal loci was investigated. Single lymphocytes from individuals heterozygous for mutations within each of the three genes were collected and lysed in either alkaline lysis buffer (ALB) or proteinase K/SDS lysis buffer (PK). PCR amplification efficiencies were comparable between alkaline lysis and proteinase K lysis for PCR products spanning each of the three mutated loci (ΔF508 in CFTR 90% vs 88%; R650X in LAMA3 82% vs 78%; and Y71X in PKP1 91% vs 87%). While there was no appreciable difference between ADO rates between the two lysis buffers for the LAMA3 PCR product (25% vs 26%), there were significant differences in ADO rates between ALB and PK for the CFTR PCR product (0% vs 23%) and the PKP1 PCR product (8% vs 56%). Based on these results, we are currently using ALB in preference to PK/SDS buffer for the lysis of cells in clinical PGD. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hunting Increases Dispersal Limitation in the Tree Carapa procera, a Nontimber Forest Product

Abstract:  The sustainability of seed extraction from natural populations has been questioned recently. Increased recruitment failure under intense seed harvesting suggests that seed extraction intensifies source limitation. Nevertheless, areas where more seeds are collected tend to also have more intense hunting of seed-dispersing animals. We studied whether such hunting, by limiting disperser activity, could cause quantitative dispersal limitation, especially for large crops and for crops in years of high seed abundance. In each of four Carapa procera (Meliaceae) populations in French Guiana and Surinam, two with hunting and two without, we compared seed fate for individual trees varying in crop size in years of high and low population-level seed abundance. Carapa seeds are a nontimber forest product and depend on dispersal by scatter-hoarding rodents for survival and seedling establishment. Hunting negatively affected the proportion of seeds dispersed and caused greater numbers of seeds to germinate or be infested by moths below parent trees, where they would likely die. Hunting of seed-dispersing animals disproportionally affected large seed crops, but we found no additional effect of population-level seed abundance on dispersal rates. Consistently lower rates of seed dispersal, especially for large seed crops, may translate to lower levels of seedling recruitment under hunting. Our results therefore suggest that the subsistence hunting that usually accompanies seed collection is at the cost of seed dispersal and may contribute to recruitment failure of these nontimber forest products. Seed extraction from natural populations may affect seedling recruitment less if accompanied by measures adequately incorporating and protecting seed dispersers.     

联合改良剂对桉树吸收重金属的作用——以矿区土壤中Cd、Zn和Cu为例

通过5种矿区土壤的盆栽试验,研究了联合改良剂对桉树部分生理指标、根中Cd、Zn和Cu的含量、以及土壤中Cd、Zn和Cu的BCR提取形态的影响,探讨了其对矿区土壤还林的作用.结果表明,与对照相比,施用改良剂后桉树的生物量和叶绿素含量的增幅分别为-7.6%~158.8%和-0.7%~23.1%,丙二醛含量的降幅为2.6%~37.9%,其中部分处理的生物量和丙二醛含量的变化达到显著水平（P<0.05）;土壤中有效态Cd、Zn和Cu的含量分别下降12.5%~63.8%、1.6%~54.7%和16.2%~57.6%,桉树根中Cd、Zn和Cu的含量分别下降3.1%~56.6%、-1.5%~21.3%和9.3%~50.1%.土壤对桉树根中Cd、Zn和Cu的含量有显著影响（P<0.05）,改良剂的配比或施用量无显著影响（P>0.05）,但在5种矿区土壤中G3降低桉树根中Cu含量的效果优于G1和G2;在重金属含量最高的2种土壤中,G1降低桉树根中Cd和Zn含量的效果优于G2和G3.研究表明施用联合改良剂能降低桉树对重金属的吸收,有利于矿区土壤的还林.     

电絮凝净化含聚污水影响因素研究

目的为保障油田正常安全生产,促进油田含聚污水的循环利用。方法采用电絮凝技术单因素研究方法开展净化含聚污水的静态实验研究,探讨外加电流密度、极板间距、初始pH及聚合物浓度等因素对净化效果的影响规律。结果当初始pH为7.0,电流密度为4.0 m A/m2,极板间距为1.0 cm,电解16 min时,综合处理效果最佳。此时,含油量与浊度去除率分别为98.85%,99.93%,处理每克油平均消耗为0.0494 g的Al,处理每立方米含聚污水的能耗为0.2895 k Wh。污水中的聚合物浓度越小,净化效果越好。结论中性处理,极板间距为1.0 cm,外加电流密度为4.0 m A/m2,通电16 min是最佳处理条件。     

铝合金的实验室盐雾试验腐蚀行为图像特征提取

目的提取铝合金材料在盐雾箱试验中可以表征腐蚀程度的表面形貌图像特征量。方法首先,对采集于表面化学清洗过的试样原始图像进行图像增强等预处理,突出腐蚀部位;其次,基于数字图像处理的分形和小波分解方法提取出分形维数和小波能量特征值。结果与以质量损失量为基础的腐蚀深度特征值进行相关性对比,基于图像分析的特征提取法的准确度和精度比较高。结论该方法可以应用于对试样的腐蚀程度进行定性和定量分析,判断并预测试样的腐蚀速度。     

石墨炉原子吸收光谱法测定海河下游水中痕量镉

原子吸收光谱法直接测定高盐水中痕量镉时，有很大背景吸收和误差。本文采用络合—萃取技术使共存元素与待测元素分离，既消除了基体干扰，又达到了富集作用，使测定结果准确可靠。     

超临界二氧化碳萃取－GC／MS测定土壤中的多环芳烃

本文开发了一种采用超临界二氧化碳萃取土壤中多环芳烃、不须经过纯化步骤，直接可用于ＧＣ／ＭＳ分析的简便、高效的方法。本实验中超临界革取的流体是二氧化碳，改善剂是５％的二氯甲烷／甲醇，萃取温度为１２０℃、压力为３４ＭＰａ。ＧＣ／ＭＳ分析时除了采用外标外，还加入了６种同位素ＰＡＨｓ内标以校正各段ＰＡＨｓ的响应因子。采用本方法成功地测定了我国未开垦森林土壤中的ＰＡＨｓ。     

膜、柱串联固相萃取-高效液相色谱法测定水中多环芳烃(PAHs)的研究

建立了用膜-柱串联固相萃取(SPE)技术,甲醇和水作为流动相进行梯度洗脱,紫外和荧光检测器串联的高效液相色谱法(HPLC)分析水中EPA优先监控的16种PAHs的方法.     

毛细柱气相色谱法测定废水中的三氯乙醛

讨论了用毛细柱气相色谱法测定废水中三氯乙醛的方法。该方法用(2+1)石油醚-乙醚萃取废水中的三氯乙醛,方法的相对标准偏差4.9％,回收率91.2％～101.1％,最低检出限4×10~(-2)ng。