Platinum concentrations in urban road dust and soil, and in blood and urine in the United Kingdom

Increasing Pt concentrations from vehicle catalysts have been reported from a number of countries. Analysis of Pt and Pd in soils and road dusts taken from areas of high and low traffic flows in SE England show concentrations of Pt in the range < 0.30-40.1 ng g-1 and Pd in the range < 2.1-57.9 ng g-1. Higher concentrations of Pt are associated with high traffic densities. Samples taken from streets of lower traffic flows were found to contain the lower concentrations of the ranges. Pilot studies of Pt concentrations in blood and urine using ICP-MS have been carried out. Platinum concentrations in whole blood were: precious metal workers, 780-2170, mean 1263 pmol l-1 (0.152-0.423, mean 0.246 microgram l-1); motorway maintenance workers, 645-810, mean 744 pmol l-1 (0.126-0.158, mean 0.145 microgram l-1); Imperial College staff, 590-713, mean 660 pmol l-1 (0.115-0.139, mean 0.129 microgram l-1). Platinum concentrations in urine in pmol Pt per mmol creatinine were: precious metal workers, 122-682, mean 273 [0.21-1.18, mean 0.47 microgram Pt (g creatinine)-1]; motorway maintenance workers, 13-78, mean 33.7 [0.022-0.135, mean 0.058 microgram Pt (g creatinine)-1]; Imperial College staff, 28-130, mean 65.6 [0.048-0.224, mean 0.113 microgram Pt (g creatinine)-1]. Detection limits were 0.03 microgram l-1 for both blood and urine. The possible health effects of increasing Pt in the environment are discussed. Platinum provides an excellent example of the significance of speciation in metal toxicity. Platinum allergy is confined to a small group of charged compounds that contain reactive ligand systems, the most effective of which are chloride ligand systems. Metallic Pt is considered to be biologically inert and non allergenic and since the emitted Pt is probably in the metallic or oxide form, the sensitising potential is probably very low. Platinum from road dusts, however, can be solubilised, and enter waters, sediments, soils and the food chain. There is at present no evidence for any adverse health effects from Pt in the general environment, particularly allergic reactions.     

Immunohistochemical identification of varicella-zoster virus gene 63-encoded protein (IE63) and late (gE) protein on smears and cutaneous biopsies: implications for diagnostic use

Early and specific recognition of varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection is of vital concern in immunocompromised patients. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of histochemical and immunohistochemical identification of the VZV ORF63 encoded protein (IE63) and of the VZV late protein gE on smears and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded skin sections taken from lesions clinically diagnosed as varicella (n = 15) and herpes zoster (n = 51). Microscopic examinations of Tzanck smears and skin sections yielded a diagnostic accuracy of Herpesviridae infections in 66.7% (10/15) and 92.3% (12/13) of varicella, and 74.4% (29/39) and 87.8% (43/49) of herpes zoster, respectively. Immunohistochemistry applied to varicella provided a type-specific virus diagnostic accuracy of 86.7% (13/15; IE63) and 100% (15/15; gE) on smears, and of 92.3% for both VZV proteins on skin sections. In herpes zoster, the diagnostic accuracy of immunohistochemistry reached 92.3% (36/39; IE63) and 94.9% (37/39; gE) on smears, and 91.7% (44/48; IE63) and 91.8% (45/49; gE) on skin sections. These findings indicate that the immunohistochemical detection of IE63 and gE on both smears and skin sections yields a higher specificity and sensitivity than standard microscopic assessments.     

Combining beta-core fragment and total oestriol measurements to test for Down syndrome pregnancies

Recent articles by Cuckle et al., Canick et al., and Isozaki et al. have evaluated urine beta-core fragment as a screening test for Down syndrome in second-trimester pregnancies. They found over four-fold elevation of beta-core fragment levels in Down syndrome pregnancies, and between 62 and 88 per cent detection of this trisomy at a 5 per cent false-positive rate. Urine beta-core fragment may be a superior screening test for Down syndrome pregnancies. In the present study, urinary total oestriol has been evaluated as a marker to use in combination with beta-core fragment in screening for Down syndrome pregnancies. The two markers were evaluated separately in relation to the urine creatinine concentration. To amplify screening performance, we evaluated the ratio of beta-core fragment to total oestriol levels (creatinine-independent). beta-core fragment and total oestriol levels were determined (normalized to creatinine, ng/mg creatinine) in urine samples from 480 unaffected and 12 Down syndrome pregnancies, collected consecutively at a single prenatal diagnosis centre. The median beta-core fragment level in Down syndrome cases was 4.5 MOM. Fifty-eight per cent of Down syndrome cases had beta-core fragment levels exceeding the 95th centile of unaffected pregnancies. The median total oestriol level in Down syndrome cases was 0.33 MOM. Forty-two per cent of Down syndrome cases had total oestriol levels exceeding the 95th centile of unaffected pregnancies. We investigated the ratio of the two determinants (beta-core fragment, ng/ml divided by total oestriol, ng/ml) in our sample set. The median beta-core fragment:total oestriol ratio in Down syndrome cases was 13 MOM. Seventy-five per cent of Down syndrome cases had a ratio exceeding the 95th and the 99.5th centile of unaffected pregnancies. Total oestriol complements beta-core fragment in urine screening for Down syndrome pregnancies. A test measuring the ratio of the two urine determinants may be a significant improvement over current serum methods for detecting Down syndrome.     

活塞式压缩机吸排气管道的振动与控制

阐述了活塞式压缩机吸、排气管道强烈振动的危害，分析了产生共振的原因，介绍了现场消减管道振动的有效措施。     

编辑出版自动化技术在医药专业期刊编辑部的初步应用探讨

本文首先概述了编辑出版自动化技术的概念及最新进展,然后就其在医药专业期刊编辑部的初步应用进行了探讨,论述了计算机、网络、数据库技术在稿件的选题、组稿、编辑、审校、排版、印刷、出版中的具体应用,强调了构建基于网络的编辑出版自动化系统对期刊现代化建设的重要作用。     

B4C涂层作为等离子体面对材料的一些性质

介绍了利用等离子喷涂设备,B4C/Cu梯度功能涂层及非梯度涂层的制备技术,在模拟实验装置中测量了在高能粒子(3 keV,D+)的作用下,B4C涂层的化学溅射产额、热解吸性能、热冲击性能及热导率.结果表明B4C是一种有希望为未来聚变装置中等离子体面对的材料.     

小波变换应用于输电线路行波故障测距(Ⅱ)

在介绍了单端和双端行波故障测距原理的基础上，着重讨论了诸如母线，行波源，过渡电阻等因素对行波测距的影响，并在理论上对每种算法的测距误差进行了分析，最后根据小波变换模极大值理论实现了行波测距，大量仿真表明，本方法有效且有很高的测距精度。     

高维滞环多值电路唯一稳态的研究

本文利用矩阵分解方法，在用常数界定元件成份关系斜率条件下，得到了确定高维具有滞环的非线性非自治电路唯一稳态的新条件。本文的结果表明，该类电路的唯一稳态，可以用分解矩阵的稳定性来决定，本文的结果中，电路元件可以是多值元件，这大大放松了目前已的经典结果中要求电路元件为单值的限制，扩展了已有的结果，同时，本文的结果，对于确定高维非线性非自治电路的唯一稳态，比已有结果，更加有力和简洁。     

自动成图在工程设计中的应用

利用AutoCAD与高级语言的接口方式，编制程序在工程设计中自动成图。     

攀钢转炉炼钢用碳化硅提温的试验研究

低品位碳化硅是转炉炼钢的有效提高温剂。工业性试验结果表明，碳化硅加入８．０ｋｇ／ｔ钢水提温４０．３－７０．３℃（平均４８．４℃）；渣中ＴＦｅ降低１．３％；加提温剂有利于转炉内造渣脱硫和碱少炉渣对耐火砖的侵蚀。文中还给出了攀钢转炉半钢冶炼铸用钢不水时加与不加碳化硅的ｔλ，［Ｃ］λ区域。