The variability and intrinsic remediation of a BTEX plume in anaerobic sulphate-rich groundwater

Data from long-term groundwater sampling, limited coring, and associated studies are synthesised to assess the variability and intrinsic remediation/natural attenuation of a dissolved hydrocarbon plume in sulphate-rich anaerobic groundwater. Fine vertical scale (0.25- and 0.5-m depth intervals) and horizontal plume-scale (>400 m) characteristics of the plume were mapped over a 5-year period from 1991 to 1996. The plume of dissolved BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene) and other organic compounds originated from leakage of gasoline from a subsurface fuel storage tank. The plume was up to 420 m long, less than 50 m wide and 3 m thick. In the first few years of monitoring, BTEX concentrations near the point of leakage were in approximate equilibrium with non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) gasoline. NAPL composition of core material and long-term trends in ratios of BTEX concentrations in groundwater indicated significant depletion (water washing, volatilisation and possibly biodegradation) of benzene from residual NAPL after 1992. Large fluctuations in BTEX concentrations in individual boreholes were shown to be largely attributable to seasonal groundwater flow variations. A combination of temporal and spatial groundwater quality data was required to adequately assess the stationarity of plumes, so as to allow inference of intrinsic remediation. Contoured concentration data for the period 1991 to 1996 indicated that plumes of toluene and o-xylene were, at best, only partially steady state (pseudo-steady state) due to seasonal groundwater flow changes. From this analysis, it was inferred that significant remediation by natural biodegradation was occurring for BTEX component plumes such as toluene and o-xylene, but provided no conclusive evidence of benzene biodegradation. Issues associated with field quantification of intrinsic remediation from groundwater sampling are highlighted. Preferential intrinsic biodegradation of selected organic compounds within the BTEX plume was shown to be occurring, in parallel with sulphate reduction and bicarbonate production. Ratios of average hydrocarbon concentrations to benzene for the period 1991 to 1992 were used to estimate degradation rates (half-lives) at various distances along the plume. The estimates varied with distance, the narrowest range being, for toluene, 110 to 260 days. These estimates were comparable to rates determined previously from an in situ tracer test and from plume-scale modelling.     

Intrauterine left chamber myocardial infarction of the heart and hydrops fetalis in the recipient fetus due to twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome

A rare complication of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is described: myocardial infarction of the recipient fetus. Myocardial infarction and hydrops are considered to be consequences of hypertension in the recipient. No other organs were affected. Pathological signs of intrauterine hypertension were estimated by the thickness of vessel walls and signs of hypertrophied myocardial cells. In the heart of the recipient fetus there was a chronic myocardial infarction near the apex cordis on the anterior wall with an aneurysm 4×5 mm in diameter. Diagnosis was based on light microscopic examination. The poor myocardial systolic function resulted in hydrops. Since the mother was administered β sympathomimetics in therapeutic doses the contribution of the drug to the myocardial infarction is uncertain, but we would like to suggest this as a possible adverse effect in TTTS. The present case is the first reported myocardial infarction in connection with the syndrome. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

邯郸市妇女空气污染暴露对妊娠期高血压的影响

选择河北省邯郸市某医院孕妇数据,探讨了6项空气污染物暴露对孕妇患妊娠期高血压(GH)的影响和不同人群的效应差异,采用传统Logistic回归模型评估了各项污染物的效应,采用主成分改进的Logistic回归模型评估了各项污染物在额外调整其它污染物后的效应.结果显示,单污染物模型中,妊娠期前26周每20μg/m3增量的O3...     

接噪作业人员血压检查结果分析

对206名接噪作业人员与197名非接噪作业人员进行了高血压患病率比较,结果表明接噪组明显高于非接噪组,且接噪作业人员工龄越长,高血压患病率越高。     

铅（Pb^2＋）致高血压大鼠胸主动脉病变的相关基因及信号转导途径

采用表达芯片研究铅(Pb2+)致高血压大鼠模型病变主动脉的基因表达谱,以及可能涉及的信号转导途径.结果表明,Pb2+致高血压大鼠和对照组相比,在3463个已知基因和表达序列标签(EST)中,有24个基因和1个EST表达上调幅度≥2倍;有2个基因和1个EST表达下调幅度≥2倍.在差异表达≥2倍的26个基因中,有13个上调的基因与细胞凋亡、局部粘附、细胞生长、增殖、细胞迁移、平滑肌兴奋、胶原重构等生物学过程相关;2个下调基因与能量代谢有关.表达差异基因相对集中的信号途径是与细胞运动、增殖和存活关系密切的局部粘附信号途径.     

天然产物柯里拉京防治心血管疾病的药理效用概述

柯里拉京(corilagin)是一种可以从许多植物提取的水溶性逆没食子酸鞣质.传统的天然药物应用史提示柯里拉京对慢性心血管疾病有较好的防治作用.近年来的研究表明,柯里拉京在防治血液凝固、血栓形成、高血压和动脉粥样硬化等方面有一定作用.另外,柯里拉京对某些肿瘤和病毒有抑制作用,毒性也很低.参29.     

Association between fetal nuchal translucency thickness in first trimester and subsequent gestational hypertension and preeclampsia

Increased fetal nuchal translucency (NT) in the first trimester is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Whether the increased NT is also associated with an increased frequency of pregnancy-associated hypertension (PAH) is not known. Seven hundred and seventy-nine pregnant women who received NT-based Down syndrome screening and delivered their babies at our hospital by September 2000 were enrolled into this study. Among these women, there are 46 cases of preeclampsia, 68 cases of gestational hypertension (GH); 665 women without any adverse pregnancy outcomes served as controls. Correlation analysis demonstrated that NT MoM (multiples of median) level had a positive association with maternal diastolic blood pressure at the time of admission for delivery (r = 0.104; p < 0.01). The severity of PAH was concordant with the stepwise increase of mean NT MoM level, which was 0.88 in control, 1.07 in gestational hypertension, and 1.13 in preeclampsia (p < 0.001). Using the 95th (1.52 MoM) and 90th (1.31 MoM) percentiles of NT thickness as cut-offs, the sensitivities and odds ratios of the women at risk for developing GH after 20 weeks of gestation were 8.8%, 19.1% and 1.98, 2.15 respectively, while for preeclampsia were 10.9%, 28.3% and 2.49, 3.58 respectively. It is concluded that the pathological changes in the placenta responsible for the development of PAH may also influence the physiological decrease of NT thickness in late first trimester. However, the sensitivity of fetal NT measurement in first trimester is not sufficient as a single marker for predicting the pregnant women at risk for subsequent PAH. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.