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.     

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.     

具有LXRα活性效应物质的新型筛查方法研究

为了检测环境中潜在的LXRα效应物质.本研究以LXRα蛋白为例,利用核受体蛋白与小分子亲和结合的原理,构建了pCold-TF-LXRα重组蛋白并优化了重组蛋白的表达条件,建立了特异性捕获活性物质的方法.结果表明：诱导温度为20℃、诱导剂IPTG浓度为0.4mmol/L为重组蛋白的最佳表达条件;同时,利用LXRα激动剂T0901317 4个梯度浓度（0.25,2.5,25,250μg/L）的加标回收率实验测得线性回归曲线为y =0.83604x+0.40763,R²=0.9948,证明方法具有有效性;对比pCold-TF空载体蛋白（6.42%）和重组蛋白（79.83%）对T0901317（250 μg/L）的回收率,说明方法具有特异性.为了验证方法的实用性,将重组蛋白与15种典型的有机磷酸酯类化合物（OPEs）的混合标样进行“捕获”实验,证明了TPHP、BPADP、TCrP、EHDPP、TNBP、RDP、TEHP、TDCIPP具有LXRα的活性效应.最后,用酵母双杂交实验验证了这8种OPEs均为LXRα的拮抗剂.     

基于铁锰泥的除砷吸附剂性能比较及吸附机理

为解决反冲洗铁锰泥粉末吸附剂（BSPA）使用后难以泥水分离问题,将除铁锰水厂生物滤池产生的反冲洗泥制成颗粒吸附剂（GA）和磁性粉末吸附剂（MPA）,并对BSPA、GA和MPA的除砷性能进行了比较,通过SEM、TED、XRD、BET、FTIR等技术对3种材料进行了表征,寻找3种吸附剂之间除砷性能差异的根源.结果表明,BSPA、GA和MPA对As （V）的最大吸附容量分别为40.980,5.048,8.694mg/g,改性后的吸附材料GA和MPA对砷的吸附能力下降.BSPA是一种以纤铁矿为主的无定形结构混合物,并混有针铁矿和结晶度差的水铁矿,GA的XRD图谱中出现石英晶体和少量赤铁矿晶体的衍射峰,而MPA的主要成分为结晶程度较高的磁赤铁矿.3种材料中均存在有利于吸附的含羟基官能团.BSPA、MPA和GA的比表面积分别为253.150,238.660,43.803m²/g.物相改变且结晶程度增加、表面羟基减少和比表面积降低是导致GA和MPA的砷吸附容量比BSPA低的主要因素.     

工业纤维废渣利用的生物技术研究

用平板分离法从树皮中选育出“５０８８号菌种”，使麻纺厂的废弃下脚料转化成可替代饲料中玉米成份的“媲谷菌饲”。并利用造纸厂白泥，粘胶纤维厂废水处理产生的污泥作饲料钙，锌元素添加剂获成功。     

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.     

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.     

铬革渣资源化处理研究 Ⅱ.由铬革渣提取蛋白质和铬(Ⅲ)

铬革渣是制革工业废弃物,经碱水解脱铬提取蛋白质.蛋白质与作为载体的糠麸混合,烃干燥后粉碎,制成饲料蛋白粉.剩余的碱性滤渣用硫酸提取硫酸铬,该盐可作为铬鞣剂,提铬后的酸性滤渣可用作花肥.     

二价铜离子对川蔓藻(Ruppia maritima)的毒害作用研究

采用室内培养试验方法,研究了水体中二价铜离子(Cu2 )对耐盐沉水植物川蔓藻的毒害作用.试验针对叶绿素、可溶性蛋白和POD活性3项指标进行分析.结果表明,川蔓藻对低浓度铜离子的胁迫会产生一定的适应性,在Cu2 ≤1 mg·L-1的情况下对川蔓藻生长不会造成明显影响.Cu2 达到或超过5 mg·L-1就会使川蔓藻植株的生理生化指标出现明显变化,生长也会受到抑制.在试验条件下,铜离子浓度越高,植株受到的伤害越严重.