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.     

无机痕量分析中预富集技术的应用现状及前景

综述了预富集技术在无机痕量分析中的应用，概述了国内外最新进展，介绍了主要技术及方法的特点，大量文献表明预富集技术用于痕量分析取得满意的效果，降低了检测限，提高了灵敏度。     

我国海洋环境污染监测质量保证的回顾与展望

我国海洋环境污染监测质量保证的发展历史可大致分为三个阶段：孕育阶段（１９７２～１９７７年）起步阶段（１９７８～１９８３年）和发展阶段（１９８４～）。各个阶段有不同的特色和侧重点，１９７８年前主要探索与污染物质的分析方法，１９８４年后是监测质量保证工作进入管理时期。     

分光光度法测定染色废水的色度

为消除测定染色废水色度的主观误差，采用分光光度法测定染色废水的色度，与稀释倍数法相比，具有精确，重现性好，适用范围广等特点，ＰＨ值对色度的测定有明显影响，控制ＰＨ值为７．６０，测定色度具有可比性。     

合成洗涤剂对小鼠诱变性研究

连续５天腹腔注射同一剂量（１／５ＬＤ５０）的合成洗涤剂，取小鼠骨髓细胞测定嗜多染色红细胞的微核率，研究表明，３种合成洗涤剂（加大香洗衣粉，洁牌餐具洗涤剂，恩威高级餐具洗洁精）使小鼠微核率有所增高，但恩威，洁牌餐具洗涤剂与对照无显著性差异。     

基于亨利定律的水中臭氧浓度检测方法研究

为提高水中臭氧(O_3)浓度检测方法的普适性、准确性和便捷性,提出了一种新的非接触式的水中O_3浓度检测方法。基于亨利定律(Henry’s Law),采用电化学方法,建立空气中O_3浓度与水中O_3浓度的回归方程,从而推导出水中O_3浓度。实验结果显示,水体O_3传感器的检出限为0.02 mg/L,检测上限为0.40 mg/L,可决系数R~2为0.998 9,相对误差最大值为7.05%,相对标准偏差最大值为2.82%。实际样品检测显示,水体O_3检测传感器的检测结果与O_3快速测定试剂盒(DPD法)的检测结果完全吻合。该方法不但综合了智能传感器的小型化、网络化、实时测量等特性,而且结构简单、成本低、响应快,适用于水体中O_3浓度的快速检测。     

汕头港湾附近水域潮流特征和污染物扩散的数值计算 Ⅰ汕头港湾附近水域潮流特征及数值模拟

汕头港湾附近水域的潮流特征，由于拦沙堤的建成及港池附近河道变窄而发生了一些变化。本文在取得现场实测资料的基础上，采用沿深度平均的二维浅水潮波方程，对该水体的潮流场进行了数值模拟计算，重现出潮流场在一个潮周期中的变化过程，分析潮流对污染扩散的作用。     

汕头港水域温排水热扩散的三维数值模拟

本文建立了汕头港水域温排水扩散的三维数学模型，并采用特征差分方法求其解，对该法在三维情况下的稳定作了推导，给出了判断公式，上述模型被应用于汕头热电厂废热水排放的环境影响评价中，实例计算表明，该模型算法程序简单，计算结果合理。     

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.