Do we know the strength of the chorioamnion? A critical review and analysis

The chorioamnion is the membrane that surrounds the fetus during gestation. Normally, it must remain intact for the duration of pregnancy, 37-42 weeks, and only rupture during or just before labour and delivery of the fetus. In a significant number (3%) of all births, this does not happen, and membranes rupture before term, resulting in preterm birth and significant perinatal morbidity. It is known that the material properties of chorioamnion may play a major role in mechanical rupture; a number of studies have been undertaken to characterise the physical nature of chorioamnion and examine factors that may predispose to rupture. However, the existing literature is inconsistent in its choice of both physical testing methods and data analysis techniques, motivating the current review. Experimental data from a large number of chorioamnion mechanical studies were collated, and data were converted to standard engineering quantities. The failure strength of the chorioamnion membrane was found consistently to value approximately 0.9 MPa. It is hoped that past and future studies of membrane mechanics can provide insight into the role of chorioamnion in labour and delivery. In addition, biomechanical approaches can help elucidate the potential causes of early rupture, and suggest future protocols or treatments that could both diagnose and prevent its occurrence. © 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Primary antibody deficiency and diagnostic delay.

AIMS: To assess the occurrence of diagnostic delay in primary antibody deficiency in the period 1989-2002, since a similar study in 1989, and to assess the impact of UK national guidelines communicated in 1995. METHODS: A retrospective case note review was performed of 89 consecutive patients with antibody deficiency referred to a regional referral centre for clinical immunology in north west England and north Wales. The delay in diagnosis and the estimated resulting morbidity in terms of infections were assessed. RESULTS: Fifty six of the 89 patients experienced delay in diagnosis. The overall median delay was 2 years (mean, 4.4), resulting in substantial morbidity (equivalent to two major infections and one minor infection). This shows a moderate improvement since the previous study in 1989 and since the introduction of UK national guidelines in 1995. Respiratory infections are the most frequent presenting infections, and respiratory physicians the most common source of referral. CONCLUSIONS: There is still considerable delay in the diagnosis of primary antibody deficiency, but the data suggest an improvement in practice since the previous study in 1989 and the distribution of national guidelines in 1995.

Long term peripheral nerve regeneration using a novel PCL nerve conduit.

The gold standard in surgical management of a peripheral nerve gap is currently autologous nerve grafting. This confers patient morbidity and increases surgical time therefore innovative experimental strategies towards engineering a synthetic nerve conduit are welcome. We have developed a novel synthetic conduit made of poly ε-caprolactone (PCL) that has demonstrated promising peripheral nerve regeneration in short-term studies. This material has been engineered to permit translation into clinical practice and here we demonstrate that histological outcomes in a long-term in vivo experiment are comparable with that of autologous nerve grafting. A 1cm nerve gap in a rat sciatic nerve injury model was repaired with a PCL nerve conduit or an autologous nerve graft. At 18 weeks post surgical repair, there was a similar volume of regenerating axons within the nerve autograft and PCL conduit repair groups, and similar numbers of myelinated axons in the distal stump of both groups. Furthermore, there was evidence of comparable re-innervation of end organ muscle and skin with the only significant difference the lower wet weight of the muscle from the PCL conduit nerve repair group. This study stimulates further work on the potential use of this synthetic biodegradable PCL nerve conduit in a clinical setting.

Assessment of dry weight by monitoring changes in blood volume during hemodialysis using Crit-Line.

BACKGROUND: Routine assessment of dry weight in chronic hemodialysis patients relies primarily on clinical evaluation of patient fluid status. We evaluated whether measurement of postdialytic vascular refill could assist in the assessment of dry weight. METHODS: Twenty-eight chronic, stable hemodialysis patients were studied during routine treatment sessions using constant dialysate temperature and dialysate sodium concentration, and relative changes in blood volume were monitored using Crit-Line III monitors throughout this study. The study was divided into three phases. Phase 1 studies evaluated the time-dependence of vascular compartment refill after completion of hemodialysis. Phase 2 studies evaluated the relationships in patient subgroups between intradialytic changes in blood volume and the presence of postdialytic vascular compartment refill during that last 10 minutes of hemodialysis after stopping ultrafiltration. Phase 3 studies evaluated the extent of dry weight changes following the application of a protocol for blood volume reduction, postdialytic vascular compartment refill, and correlation with clinical evidence of intradialytic hypovolemia and/or postdialytic fatigue. Phase 3 included anywhere from three to five treatments. RESULTS: Phase 1 studies demonstrated that despite interpatient variability in the magnitude of postdialytic vascular compartment refill, when significant refill was evident, it always continued for at least 30 minutes. However, the majority of refill took place within 10 minutes postdialysis. Phase 2 studies identified 3 groups of patients: those who exhibited intradialytic reductions in blood volume but not postdialytic vascular compartment refill (group 1), those who exhibited intradialytic reductions in blood volume and postdialytic vascular compartment refill (group 2), and those whose blood volume did not change substantially during hemodialysis treatment (group 3). In phase 3 studies, use of an ultrafiltration protocol for blood volume reduction and monitoring of postdialytic vascular compartment refill combined with clinical assessment of hypovolemia and postdialytic fatigue demonstrated that patients often had a clinical dry weight assessment which was too low or too high. In all 28 patients studied, dry weight was either increased or decreased following use of this protocol. CONCLUSION: Determination of the extent of both intradialytic decreases in blood volume and postdialytic vascular compartment refill, combined with clinical assessment of intradialytic hypovolemia and postdialytic fatigue, can help assess patient dry weight and optimize volume status while reducing dialysis associated morbidity. The number of hospital admissions due to fluid overload may be reduced.

Biotransfer of persistent organic pollutants from a large site in China used for the disassembly of electronic and electrical waste

Samples of groundwater, river water, river sediment, paddy soil, rice seeds, hen eggs, fish, umbilical cord blood, and newborn meconium were collected from October 2002 to October 2003 near a large site in China used for the disassembly of obsolete transformers and other electronic or electrical waste. Six indicator PCB congeners, three non-ortho dioxin-like PCB congeners, and six organochlorine pesticides were determined in the samples by GC with electron capture detector. The results demonstrated that the local environment and edible foods had been seriously polluted by toxic PCBs and organochlorine pesticides. The actual daily intakes (ADIs) of these pollutants were estimated for local residents living in the area. The intake data showed that the contents of PCBs in these local residents were substantial, as the ADI estimates greatly exceed the reference doses set by the World Health Organization and the United States Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The presence of the indicator PCB congeners in the cord blood and the meconium samples, as well as significant correlations (r(2) > 0.80, p < 0.05) between these levels, suggests a potential biotransfer of these indicators from mothers to their newborns. This preliminary study showed that obsolete transformers and other electronic or electrical waste can be an important source for the emission of persistent organic pollutants into the local environment, such as through leakage, evaporation, runoff, and leaching. Contamination from this source appears to have reached the level considered to be a serious threat to environmental and human health around the disassembly site.

Evaluation of soot particles of biomass fuels with endocrine-modulating activity in yeast-based bioassay

Exposure to indoor air pollution (IAP) from the combustion of biomass fuels is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. In the work discussed in this paper we evaluated the endocrine activity of soot particles from biomass fuels by using yeast bioassay. These pollutants could have beta-galactosidase activity with a relative potency (RP) about 10(-7)-10(-9) that of estradiol. Soot particles from wood and straw combustion only partially induced beta-galactosidase activity whereas others produced fully inductive activity in the yeast assay system. These pollutants did not have estrogen antagonist and progesterone agonist activity within the defined concentration range. However, these pollutants require 2-4 orders of magnitude higher IC50 to inhibit the activity of progesterone in a similar dose-response manner to mifepristone. We therefore propose that the endocrine activity of some environmental pollutants may be because of inhibition of the progesterone receptor (hPR). GC-MS results showed that substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds, substituted phenolic compounds and derivatives, aromatic carbonyl compounds, and phytosteroids in these soot particles may be mimicking endogenous hormones.

土壤干旱对2个种源野生酸枣幼苗生长和生理特性的影响

以采自陕西杨陵和安塞的2个1年生酸枣幼苗为材料,采用盆栽称重控水法研究了中度和重度土壤干旱胁迫对它们生长和生理特性的影响。结果表明,不同程度的水分胁迫均使2种源酸枣新生侧枝长度受到极显著抑制,其苗高和基径也受到一定程度抑制,同时分别使叶片相对含水量和水分饱和亏有一定程度的降低和升高;2种源酸枣叶片的叶绿素a含量在各水分胁迫均极显著降低,它们的总叶绿素含量也在重度干旱下显著降低;随土壤干旱胁迫时间的延续,2种源酸枣叶片保护酶SOD、CAT、APX活性上下波动,其脯氨酸和可溶性糖含量逐渐升高,而超氧阴离子含量在较低水平下波动,丙二醛含量逐渐降低。杨陵酸枣在土壤水分较好的条件下表现良好,而安塞酸枣则具有更强的适应旱生能力。研究发现,在不同程度的土壤干旱胁迫下,2个种源酸枣的生长均受到一定程度的抑制,但它们均能调节自身的保护酶系统活性和渗透调节物质含量来减轻干旱伤害,维持植物体的正常生理代谢功能,表现出较强的抗旱耐旱能力。

Properties of proto-neutron star and effect of three-body forces

Within the Brueckner-Hartree-Fock framework, the equation of state and the properties of newborn neutron stars are investigated by adopting a realistic nucleon-nucleon interaction AV(18) supplemented with a microscopic three-body force or a phenomenological three-body force. The maximum mass of newborn neutron star and the proton fraction in the newborn beta-stable neutron-star matter are calculated. The neutrino-trapping and the three-body force effects are discussed, and the interplay between the effects of the trapped neutrino and the three-body force are especially explored. It is shown that neutrino trapping considerably affects the proton abundance and the equation of state of the newborn neutron star in both cases with and without the three-body forces. The effect of neutrino trapping remarkably enhances the proton abundance, and the contribution of the three-body force makes the equation of state of the newborn neutron star much stiffer at high densities and consequently increases the proton abundance strongly. The trapped neutrinos significantly reduce the influence of the three-body force on the proton abundance in newborn neutron stars.

Effect of urea multinutritional molasses block supplementation on liveweight change of yak calves and productive and reproductive performances of yak cows

Using three different types of yaks, 30 head of 1-yr-old calves (liveweight 60.7 +/- 6.3 kg), 30 head of 2-yr-old calves (97.7 +/- 10.2 kg) and 30 head of yak cows (160.2 +/- 15.1 kg) were randomly selected from the same yak herds. Each type of yak herd was divided into control (C) and trial (T) groups using a completely randomized design, with 10 and 20 animals in the C and T groups, respectively. The animals in the C group were grazed on natural rangeland, and the animals in the T group were supplemented with urea multinutritional molasses blocks (UMMB), together with grazing on natural rangeland from January to May of 1998. The objective was to determine the effect of UMMB on productive performance of yak calves and yak cows in the cold season. Live weight loss of 1-yr-old calves, 2-yr-old calves and yak cows was reduced by 1.2, 8.3 and 7.9 kg after UMMB supplementation (P < 0.01). The 1-yr-old calves gained the most in the first month of supplementation, but the 2-yr-old calves and yak cows gained the most both in the first and last supplementation months. Daily milk yield of yak cows increased by 0.21 kg d(-1) when the lactating animals were supplemented with UMMB (P < 0.01), although there was no effect (P < 0.01) of UMMB supplementation on hair and downy hair production. Supplementation with UMMB also improved reproductive performance of yak cows, with 8.8 and 30.9% increments in pregnancy rate and newborn weight, respectively. We conclude that the benefit of UMMB supplementation the 1-yr-old calves was not economical, with only 0.3:1 output to input ratio, but supplementation of the 2-yr-old calves and yak cows may be economical, with 1.8:1 and 1.4:1 output to input ratios, respectively.

Safety of tetanus toxoid in pregnant women: A hospital-based case-control study of congenital anomalies

Reported are the results of the Latin American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations (ECLAMC), a hospital-based case-control study of 34 293 malformed and 34 477 matched nonmalformed newborn controls. No statistical differences were found between the malformed and control groups, exposed or not exposed to tetanus toroid.

海底金属矿床充水条件及矿坑突水的断层效应研究

The Xinli mine area of Sanshandao mine is adjacent to the Bohai Sea and its main exploitable ore deposit occurs in the undersea rock mass. The mine is the biggest undersea gold mine of China after production. The mine area faces a latent danger of water bursting, even sudden seawater inrush. There is no mature experience in undersea mining in China so far. The vein ore deposit is located in the lower wall of a fault; its possible groundwater sources mainly include bittern, Quaternary pore water and modern seawater. To ensure the safety of undersea mining, to survey the flooding conditions of the ore deposit using proper measures and study the potential seawater inrush pattern are the key technical problems. With the Xinli mine area as a case study, the engineering geological conditions of the Xinli mine area are surveyed in situ, the regional structural pattern and rock mass framework characteristics are found out, the distribution of the structural planes are modeled by a Monte Carlo method and the connectivity coefficients of rock mass structural planes are calculated. The regional hydro-geological conditions are analyzed and the in-situ hydro-geological investigation and sampling are performed in detail, the hydrochemistry and isotopes testing and groundwater dynamic monitoring are conducted, the recharge, runoff, discharge conditions are specified and the sources of flooding are distinguished. Some indices are selected from the testing results to calculate the proportion of each source in some water discharge points and in the whole water discharge of the Xinli mine area. The temporal and spatial variations of each water source of the whole ore deposit flooding are analyzed. According to the special project conditions in the Xinli mine area, the permeability coefficient tensors of the rock mass in Xinli mine area are calculated based on a fracture geometry measurement method, in terms of the connectivity and a few hydraulic testing results, a modified synthetic permeability coefficient are calculated. The hydro-geological conceptual and mathematical model are established，the water yield of mine is predicted using Visual Modflow code. The spreading law of surrounding rock mass deformation and secondary stress are studied by numerical analysis; the intrinsic mechanism of the faults slip caused by the excavation of ore deposit is analyzed. The results show that the development of surrounding rock mass deformation and secondary stress of vein ore deposit in the lower wall of a fault, is different from that in a thick-big ore deposit. The secondary stress caused by the excavation of vein ore deposit in the lower wall of a fault, is mainly distributed in the upper wall of the fault, one surface subsidence center will occur. The influences of fault on the rock mass movement, secondary stress and hydro-geological structures are analyzed; the secondary stress is blocked by the fault and the tensile stress concentration occurs in the rock mass near the fault, the original water blocking structure is destructed and the permeable structure is reconstructed, the primary structural planes begin to expand and newborn fissures occur, so the permeability of the original permeable structure is greatly enhanced, so the water bursting will probably occur. Based on this knowledge, the possible water inrush pattern and position of the Xinli mine area are predicted. Some computer programs are developed using object-oriented design method under the development platform Visual Studio.Net. These programs include a Monte Carlo simulation procedure, a joint diagrammatizing procedure, a structural planes connectivity coefficient calculating procedure, a permeability tensor calculating procedure, a water chemical formula edit and water source fixture conditions calculating procedure. A new computer mapping algorithm of joint iso-density diagram is raised. Based on the powerful spatial data management and icon functions of Geographic Information System, the pit water discharge dynamic monitoring data management information systems are established with ArcView.

改造型盆地油气成藏机理与油气预测－以银根－额济纳旗盆地为例

Reformed basin is a basin that underwent multiple immense reformation after the sedimentary stage, the major geologic elements of the petroleum system in the prototyped basin are destroyed to a certain extent, and their petroleum system has been reconstructed. This type of basin is frequently found in the course of exploration both home and abroad. In China, especially in the western and southern part of China, the basins in which oil explorations have been conducted are mostly reformed basins. The reformed basins from Paleozoic, Late Mesozoic to Cenozoic are widely distributed in West and South China. They are, and moreover, will be a challenge for oil and gas exploration. The conventional investigation and exploration techniques used in the slightly reconstructed basin just don't work well when facing the reformed basin. Therefore, the study on the reformed basin, especially the study on the pool-forming mechanism and reservoir prediction becomes a focus and one of difficulties for the geologists overseas and domestic. Yingen-Ejinaqi Basin is a typical case of the Late Mesozoic and Cenozoic reformed basins in China. It locates in West China and is a exploration frontier with difficulties and no break through is made for years. A comprehensive research on it will be of significance for oil and gas exploration in similar basins of China. The late research for reformed basin in China now is mainly concentrated on basin classification, formation mechanism, geologic features, and survey technique, distribution regularity of oil accumulation and its dominating factors, assessment of oil exploration prospect and target zones, etc. On the other hand, the study on the pool-forming mechanism and reservoir prediction seems insufficient in systematization, and the research is deficient in methodology and combination of qualitative and quantitative studies, as well as the application of the new theory and techniques. The current efforts are mainly directed to structures (faults), sedimentation, the relationship between reservoir evolution and oil accumulation, and some other relevant fields. However, the application of the new theory and techniques seems to be insufficient such as petroleum system, pool-forming dynamics, fluid pressure compartment, and basin simulation, etc. So is the dynamic and integrated research. As a result, incomplete knowledge and understandings derived from the research on pool-forming mechanism and reservoir prediction often do not accord with rea-lity of the basin. The study and exploration under the guidance of this knowledge will inevitably lead to errors and failure. This paper, based on the previous study of the other geologists on reformed basins, with emphasis on "wholeness or systematic, dynamic and integrated" research, presents a reverse thinking of beginning from conserved units in the basin and the combination of qualitative and quantitative study with new theory and technique by building a geological model. The paper also puts forward a new thought for studying the oil & gas accumulation and reservoir prediction , and establishes a new research system for reformed basin. It is verified by the known reservoir and oil accumulation area in the basin and has a practical value for use and reference. The new ideas and achievements in this research are as following: 1.This is the first time that the system for studying the reformed basin and its pool-forming mechanism and reservoir prediction is presented. A reverse thinking and combination of qualitative & quantitative are applied here with emphasis on "wholeness or systematic, dynamic and integrated" research, new theory, techniques & methods comprehensive use and geologic models building. 2. Identifying criterion and methods, classifying schemes, and denominating principles for the conserved units of reformed basins are presented in this paper. The geologic model of conserved units of Yingen-Ejinaqi Basin has been built. It is a practical method when combined with the traditional way for basin survey and the conserved units study. 3.The dynamic sources of basin deformation are believed to be stress, gravity and thermodynamics. The stress and gravity are key factors in basin deformation and pool forming, especially stress. Scientific proof is provided by classifying the functional type, style and range of the stress, gravity and thermodynamics. 4.The pool forming and reservoir distribution of Yingen-Ejinaqi Basin are controlled by multiple factors or geologic conditions or/and co-controlled by both of them. The qualitative and quantitative research on petroleum system and basin modeling will help us understand and determine the pool-forming period of the conserved unit (timing), the oil migrating direction (orientation), the oil accumulating region (location), the oil distributing border (bordering) and the size of oil accumulation (quantification). Thus the pool-forming and distribution zones can be predicted. 5.Three generating modes (reform-succession type, reform-destroyed type and reform-regenerating type or reform-newborn type) of pool forming for reformed basins are presented here, together with the inner relationships between basin deformation type, overlapping style and pool-forming modes. The pool-forming modes are determined by deformation type and overlapping style. Reservoir distribution will be predicted based on the modes and other concrete pool-forming conditions. 6.The evaluation methods of the conserved units and zones and the parameter selection are reliable in optimal selecting of target zones. The technical terms, new ideas and methods for the study of reformed basins, the pool-forming mechanism and reservoir prediction are presented in this paper. The concepts and terms, the identifying criterion, the denominating principles, the generating modes for pool forming, the methods of reservoir prediction, and the evaluation techniques for conserved units and zones can be used for reference in studies on the petroleum exploration of reformed basins in China and abroad. It serves as a typical example for further research of the reformed basins and the geologic regulations of oil accumulation. It has a practical value of use and reference. The future research in the field of pool-forming mechanism of the reformed basins may well be on the process simulation of pool-forming dynamics of the reformed basins. Experimental work has been conducted to simulate the processes by using quantitative and qualitative methods combined. The further study in this field calls for more efforts.

通过对心理学期刊的几项统计分析看我国十年来儿童发展教育心理学研究状况与动向

In this study, bibliometric method was usded in the investigation of 2274 papers concerning child developmental and educational psychology, which were published during the ten years of 1979-1988, in 14 psychological journals and 97 other scientific journals. According to the quantitative and qualitative analyses, the results are as follows: 1979-1988 saw the rapid development and prosperous period in China's child developmental and educational psychology, During which more papers were published and more fields couched than in the psvious thirty years. The number of literature publications increased and went to the peak in 1983 and 1984, and came down since 1985. The trend was found to result from the decrease in popular science introductions of psychology, which reflected that a heat of psychology had appeared in 1983 and started to cool in 1985. At the mean time, the number of research reports had been holding a steady increase by 1987 and decreased obviously in 1988, especially in the fields of cognitive and social development. There could be several possible explanations of this phenonemon: Piagetian studies are becoming fewer and the eakening of Piaget's influence might predict a period of standstill in the field of developmental psychology in China; As researches become more and more difficult, researchers have turned to be more cautious in lay out their reports; the cutdown of fees and staff could also be one of reasons for less publication in 1988. As the factors mentioned above still exist and their influences last, the number of papers are not expected to increase in the near future. The field of thinking and menory is closely connected with that of artificial intelligence. The downhill situations in these two fileds should be taken seriously. 2. The types of research work are divided on the bases of their problem raising. The trends show that the deepening studies, which represent a comaratively higher level of exploration, are waving fewer, while repeated studies and creative studies are becoming more as the years go along. This fact is worth being further analysed. Big progress could be seen from research methods. The methods currently used are mainly experiment, psychological measurement and assessment, and theoretical reasoning. There is a rapid increase of research by using scales. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Binet Scale and Baley Scale have been revised andstandardized. Chinese researchers have also developed several good scales of their own, some of which are valuable and need to be standardized. In the papers investigated, the amount of citation is significantly lower than the world average level as well as the average citation number of whole China's scientific literature. Among the papers cited, most are of Chinese and English languages, and only a small rate were published in resently five years. The renewal of literature cited seems to stay at a low level in the ten years. Tremendous work could be reflected by the number of subjects used the research work in those ten years: 362665. A lot of studies piled on the period of 4-16 year olds. Compared with the previous thirty years, the age range was much enlarged and there were quite a few studies about preschool, school and adolescent periods. The study of newborn of 0-3 has been a weak point so far and it is a field to which chinese developmental psychologists should pay more attention. The progress in using statistics is one of the most obvious part in the development in the research work of child developmental and educational psychology. The one tendency that should be awared and avoid is to put the cart before the horse: seeking for more sophisticated statistic method while neglecting the meanings of research problems. 3. Citation analysis was used in selecting scholars who had great influence in the field of child developmental and educational psychology. Among the often cited and famous scholars, 31 are Chinese researchers and 12 are Western psychologists. The authoritative journal for child developmental psychology and educational psychology is Acta Psychologica Sinica.

Rodent models for resolving extremes of exercise and health

The extremes of exercise capacity and health are considered a complex interplay between genes and the environment. In general, the study of animal models has proven critical for deep mechanistic exploration that provides guidance for focused and hypothesis driven discovery in humans. Hypotheses underlying molecular mechanisms of disease, and gene/tissue function can be tested in rodents in order to generate sufficient evidence to resolve and progress our understanding of human biology. Here we provide examples of three alternative uses of rodent models that have been applied successfully to advance knowledge that bridges our understanding of the connection between exercise capacity and health status. Firstly we review the strong association between exercise capacity and all-cause morbidity and mortality in humans through artificial selection on low and high exercise performance in the rat and the consequent generation of the "energy transfer hypothesis". Secondly we review specific transgenic and knock-out mouse models that replicate the human disease condition and performance. This includes human glycogen storage diseases (McArdle and Pompe) and α-actinin-3 deficiency. Together these rodent models provide an overview of the advancements of molecular knowledge required for clinical translation. Continued study of these models in conjunction with human association studies will be critical to resolving the complex gene-environment interplay linking exercise capacity, health, and disease.

Od podręcznika konwencjonalnego do elektronicznego (podręcznik w świecie mediów)

The paper gives a reflection on the future of the workbook in educational processes, and its evolution. The author assumes that the workbook will continue to play an important role in education, however, its future shape will change in the newborn audiovisual culture. The author claims that Prof. Leja's remarks regarding the so called audiovisual workbook should be considered in publications dealing with valuable electronic workbooks.