First-trimester fetal sex determination in maternal serum using real-time PCR

An Erratum has been published for this article in Prenatal Diagnosis 22(13) 2002, 1241. Fetal sex prediction can be achieved using PCR targeted at the SRY gene by analysing cell-free fetal DNA in maternal serum. Unfortunately, the results reported to date show a lack of sensitivity, especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. Therefore, determination of fetal sex by maternal serum analysis could not replace karyotype analysis following chorionic villus sampling. A new highly sensitive real-time PCR was developped to detect an SRY gene sequence in maternal serum. Analysis was performed on 121 pregnant women during the first trimester of pregnancy (mean gestational age: 11.8 weeks). Among them, 51 had at least one previous male-bearing pregnancy. Results were compared with fetal sex. SRY PCR analysis of maternal serum was in complete concordance with fetal sex. Among the 121 pregnant women, 61 were bearing a male fetus and 60 a female fetus. No false-negative results were observed. Furthermore, no false-positive results occurred, even though 27 women carrying a female fetus during the current pregnancy had at least one previous male-bearing pregnancy. This study demonstrates that a reliable, non-invasive sex determination can be achieved by PCR analysis of maternal serum during the first trimester of pregnancy. This non-invasive approach for fetal sex prediction should have great implications in the management of pregnant women who are carriers of an X-linked genetic disorder. Prenatal diagnosis might thus be performed for male fetuses only, avoiding invasive procedures and the risk of the loss of female fetuses. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

灰色协调度模型在产业用水系统分析中的应用

揭示产业用水系统的时空动态发展规律，探讨其内部的协调关系，是开展节水型社会建设规划，实现水资源可持续利用的关键。然而，目前对产业用水系统的协调性分析还缺乏较为有效的理论和方法。以往在利用协调度模型进行用水系统有序度研究时，通常采用两段叙述的线性分段函数表示，较不适用于描述产业用水系统内部要素的非线性结构。因此，针对产业用水系统的特性，利用灰关联原理建立有序度函数，以建立更适于用水系统分析的灰色协调度模型。利用该模型对上海市1997~2005年产业用水系统进行实证研究，结果显示：上海市产业用水系统基本有序，发展比较协调，其用水综合效益较大，但距离最优状态尚有潜力可挖；其中，农业用水子系统的发展较为欠缺，在未来用水规划中应予以重视。     

Trophoblast-like cells sorted from peripheral maternal blood using flow cytometry: A multiparametric study involving transmission electron microscopy and fetal dna amplification

Three monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against trophoblast (GB17, GB21, and GB25) and flow cytometry were used to sort trophoblast-like cells (TLCs) from peripheral blood of pregnant women. Sorted TLCs were processed for electron microscopy and fetal DNA amplification of the Y-specific sequences from mothers carrying male fetuses. At the ultra-structural level, most of the nucleated cells had the morphology of leucocytes, suggesting maternal contaminants, and we did not find the characteristic features of the free inter-villous trophoblast cells. Nevertheless, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis showed an amplification of Y-specific sequences in two out of three samples of sorted TLCs. These results suggest that besides the maternal leucocytes, sufficient trophoblast nucleated fetal cells can be obtained using cell enrichment by sorting. This sensitive method holds promise for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of fetal sex and if sufficient Y(positive) nuclei are found, for the diagnosis of selected numerical chromosome abnormalities.     

中国海洋大气监测方案的设想

概述了国内外海洋大气环境监测的基本情况，提出了我国开展海洋大气环境监测的必要性，在我国开展海洋大气环境监测必须解决的几个新课题，并根据国家海洋局《海洋大气监测方案》（讨论稿）提出了我国开展海洋大气监测的设想。     

生物转盘动力学分析与数学模式探讨

通过对生产性四级生物转 盘进出水中主要污染指标及生物膜特性指标的分析测定，进行了ＢＯＤ５、ＣＯＤ和挥发酚等污染指标在转盘系统中的降解反应动力学分析，确定了上述污染指标的降解反应级数、反应速率常数及动力８学方程式，为寻求能够揭示转盘净化反应实质及其影响因素且简便实用的设计计算公式，根据物料平衡原理和莫诺（Ｍｏｎｏｄ）关系式推导出了能够揭示转 盘净化反应实质及其影响因素且简便实用的设计计算公式，根据关     

An investigation of methods for enriching trophoblast from maternal blood

Trophoblast deportation is known to occur in normal human pregnancy, but it is not yet clear whether these cells routinely enter the maternal peripheral circulation and are available as a source of fetal DNA for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of genetic disorders. To resolve this issue requires an efficient method of enriching trophoblast from maternal blood combined with a means to confirm its identity. Five different techniques were tested on ten retroplacental blood samples to determine the most sensitive and operator-efficient method. Lysis of red cells alone gave the best recovery of trophoblast but had to be discounted, together with Ficoll density gradient centrifugation, due to the very low purity and the excessive time required. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) of pre-enriched trophoblast resulted in the lowest recovery rate (8 per cent) despite a 3250-fold enrichment and a very high purity. Immunomagnetic beads (Dynabeads) coated with anti-CD 16 antibody proved to be the best method for the subsequent immunocytochemical characterization of deported trophoblast. However, IO beads coated with anti-CD45 antibody may be more useful for isolating trophoblast for prenatal diagnosis due to the high purity, enrichment (32-fold), and recovery rate (78 per cent) obtained with this method.     

河流枯水流量特征研究

本文以泾、洛、渭三河流干流在陕西境内的主要控制断面为例,分析了１４个时段枯水流量的概率分布特征,选定了理论分布线型,揭示了各枯水序列的时段平均流量均值、变差系数和偏态系数的变化规律,建立了推求不同频率不同时段的枯水流量的经验公式。绘制了相应的关系曲线,应用十分方便。     

The in utero diagnosis and management of alloimmune thrombocytopenia

A case is presented in which percutaneous umbilical sampling (PUBS) was utilized in the second and third trimesters for the diagnosis and management of a pregnancy at risk for neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT).     

Fetal cystic hygromata: Insights gained from fetal blood sampling

Twelve second-trimester fetuses with cystic hygroma underwent fetal blood sampling for rapid karyotyping, haematologic evaluation, and blood gas analysis. An abnormal karyotype was found in seven cases: monosomy X in five, trisomy 21 in one, and trisomy 13 in the other. Eight often fetuses undergoing blood gas analysis showed hypoxaemia, five of which were growth-retarded. Nine pregnancies were terminated. Of the remaining three, only one fetus survived the perinatal period.     

汞在鲤鱼组织中的蓄积、排出与血流速度的关系

本试验在10±1℃、不喂食条件下测定鲤鱼在30天受汞毒期间鳃、脑和肝胰脏蓄积汞和尾鳍微血管血流速度及30天解毒期间排出汞和血流速度的变化。试验结果:受毒期间鳃中汞的蓄积量最多,解毒期间鳃中汞的排出速度最快;受毒期间血流速度随受毒时间的延长而减慢,又随试验浓度的增高而减慢,解毒期间血流速度随解毒时间的延长而加快;受毒期间高浓度试验组鱼鳃、脑和肝胰脏中汞的蓄积量与血流速度呈负相关,解毒期间鱼鳃中汞的排出量与血流速度呈正相关,汞的浓度与血流速度呈负相关。