Decolourisation and dephenolisation potential of selected <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus</Emphasis> section <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nigri</Emphasis> strains – <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus tubingensis</Emphasis> in olive mill wastewater

Aspergillus section Nigri strains Aspergillus aculeatus Ege-K 258, A. foeditus var. pallidus Ege-K156, A. niger Ege-K 4 and A. tubingensis Ege-K 265 were used to treat olive mill wastewater (OMW) in an investigation aimed at exploring their dephenolisation and decolourisation ability and, consequently, the economic feasibility of using any or all of these strains in a pre-treatment step in the processing of OMW. Of these strains A. tubingensis Ege-K 265 resulted in an 80% decolourisation of twofold-diluted OMW and a 30% decolourisation of undiluted OMW; in addition, it was able to remove approximately 30% of all phenolic compounds in both twofold-diluted and undiluted OMW. We conclude that A. tubingensis Ege-K 265 could be effectively used in the pre-treatment step of a combined aerobic-anaerobic process to solve the environmental problems caused by OMW in Mediterranean countries.     

Biogeography of Nicotiana section Suaveolentes (Solanaceae) reveals geographical tracks in arid Australia

Aim Nicotiana section Suaveolentes is largely endemic to Australia but includes one species endemic to Africa, one to New Caledonia and Tongatupa, and one to the Marquesas Islands in the Pacific. Other sections of Nicotiana are found in the New World. In Australia, Suaveolentes is widespread across the continent, with many taxa adapted to the Eremean zone. We aim to analyse the biogeography of the Australian clade, both to shed light on the evolution of the group and to determine general area relationships that provide insight into the history of the arid‐zone biota. Location Mesic and arid regions of continental Australia, the Central–South Pacific and Namibia, Africa. Methods A phylogeny of Suaveolentes, based on morphology and molecular data, was used to analyse the relationships of areas in which the taxa occur. The section is monophyletic, and all but three taxa were included (25). The method of paralogy‐free subtree analysis was employed, with the basal taxon Nicotiana africana used as the outgroup. Results Paralogy‐free subtree analysis found five area subtrees that, when combined, resulted in a minimal area cladogram with six resolved nodes. Pacific and mesic eastern Australia (including Lord Howe Island) are at the base of the area cladogram, followed by the differentiation of North West Australia and later South East Australia. Arid regions of Australia are related, revealing three biogeographical tracks: a northern track including the Great Sandy Desert and Tanami, which are related to the Pilbara; a central track relating the Western Desert, Central Ranges, Eastern Desert and North East Interzone; and a southern track relating the South West Interzone, Nullarbor, Adelaide/Eyre and the South East Interzone. Plesiomorphic taxa with chromosome number n = 24–23 occur on the periphery of the continent, and derived taxa with n = 21, 20, 18, 16–15 identify the tracks across arid Australia. Main conclusions The patterns of distribution and differentiation of Suaveolentes in Australia show that the age of the clade is at least Early Miocene, dating to before the onset of aridification in Australia about 15 Ma. The patterns are also interpreted as evidence that it was vicariance that largely shaped speciation in the Eremean zone, with range expansion of some widespread taxa probably occurring in the most recent cycles of severe drying and mobilization of desert dune sands.     

The Ediacaran Period: a new addition to the geologic time scale

The International Union of Geological Sciences has approved a new addition to the geologic time scale: the Ediacaran Period. The Ediacaran is the first Proterozoic period to be recognized on the basis of chronostratigraphic criteria and the first internationally ratified, chronostratigraphically defined period of any age to be introduced in more than a century. In accordance with procedures established by the International Commission on Stratigraphy, the base of the Ediacaran Period is defined by a Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) placed at the base of the Nuccaleena Formation cap carbonate directly above glacial diamictites and associated facies at Enorama Creek in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia. Its top is defined by the initial GSSP of the Cambrian Period. The new Ediacaran Period encompasses a distinctive interval of Earth history that is bounded both above and below by equally distinctive intervals. Both chemostratigraphic and biostratigraphic data indicate that the subdivision of the period into two or more series is feasible, and this should be a primary objective of continuing work by the Ediacaran Subcommission of the ICS.     

Lower Middle Devonian,Eifelian, crinoids from central Guangxi,South China

The extensive Devonian marine deposits of South China have yielded few articulated crinoid cups or theca. Two Eifelian specimens, from the Gupa Member, are the first ones reported from the Yingtang Formation, Eifelian, from the Ma’anshan section, Guangxi, South China. The new taxon Guangxicrinus xiangzhouensis n. gen. n. sp. is the first report of a marsupiocrinid in China, extending the paleogeographic range of the family into the Paleotethys and the stratigraphic range of the family upward from the upper Silurian into the lower Middle Devonian, Eifelian. The occurrence of Halocrinites sp. is the third occurrence of a cupressocrinitid in China and extends the paleogeographic range from Yunnan to Guangxi.     

剖宫产术后对母婴早接触早吸吮的影响因素分析及对策

目的:分析剖宫产术后影响母婴早接触早吸吮的因素及干预措施,为改善产妇泌乳量,提高哺乳质量提供理论基础。方法:选取2010年2月~2012年2月我院进行剖宫产手术的92例初产妇,按照随机数字表分为对照组和干预组,对照组采用常规的护理措施,干预组在对照组的基础上实施母婴早接触早吸吮护理措施,比较两组护理后的临床疗效。结果:对照组产妇的开奶时间为(47.8±7.1)h,而干预组为(35.6±8.6)h,干预组产妇的开奶时间明显早于对照组,且干预组产妇72h泌乳量较对照组产妇充足,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:针对母婴早接触早吸吮的相关影响因素,采取相应的护理干预措施可以明显促进产妇的早期恢复和泌乳,提高产妇的泌乳量和母婴的早接触早吸吮,值得在临床上推广。     

罗哌卡因腰麻联合硬膜外麻醉在剖宫产手术中的应用效果

目的:探讨罗哌卡因腰麻联合硬膜外麻醉在剖宫产手术中的应用效果及安全性,为妇科手术麻醉提供可借鉴的方法。方法:对我院于2012年2月至2013年2月期间收治的100例行剖宫产术患者,均于腰硬联合麻醉方式下进行手术,按照随机数字表法,分为观察组50例与对照组50例,分别使用甲磺酸罗哌卡因与盐酸布比卡因进行麻醉,观察与对比两组患者的麻醉效果与不良反应。结果:观察组患者的运动阻滞起效时间、运动阻滞维持时间均显著低于对照组患者,差异存在统计学意义(P0.05);观察组患者与对照组患者在不良反应方面比较,差异不存在统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:罗哌卡因腰麻联合硬膜外麻醉在剖宫产手术中,产生的麻醉效果快速,且安全可靠性有保障,具备临床推广应用的价值。     

南京某大型医院剖宫产及其影响因素的初步分析

目的：分析某医院剖宫产的现状,初步探讨其影响因素及控制策略。方法：整理分析了南京某大型医院2009年共1411名入院产妇的病历资料,按分娩方式分为自然分娩组（经阴道分娩）和剖宫产组,比较两组产妇的一般信息、身体状况、产时情况等,采用多因素Logistic回归分析了剖宫产的影响因素。结果：该医院2009年度剖宫产产妇为608人,占总产妇的43．09％。剖宫产产妇的年龄和体重明显高于自然分娩产妇（P〈0．01）,既往身体状况相对较差。入院时多无产兆、宫口未开,且产妇宫高、腹围、胎心率明显较高（P〈0．05或P〈0．01）。B超检查也显示,羊水异常（过多或过少）、巨大儿、胎位不正（主要为臀位）以及脐带绕颈的比例也明显高于自然分娩产妇（P〈0．05或P〈0．01）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,产妇高龄（〉35岁）、入院产兆、胎位不正、产妇腹围过大、胎儿窘迫及新生儿超重等皆为剖宫产的独立影响因素。此外发现19．24％的剖宫产产妇无临床指征（即社会因素）。结论：该医院剖宫产的比例不低,要根据影响因素合理选择剖宫产,尤其要有效控制无指征的剖宫产选择,降低剖宫产率。     

经阴道彩超在子宫瘢痕处早期妊娠诊断中的应用

目的：探讨经阴道彩色多普勒超声（彩超）在子宫瘢痕处早期妊娠诊断中的应用价值。方法：研究对象为2011年2月．2012年2月我院接诊的26例经手术或病理确诊的子宫瘢痕处早期妊娠患者,回顾性总结了26例患者的经腹及经彩超资料。结果：通过经阴道彩超的图像声像图分析,及其与手术中病理确诊对比。经阴道彩超诊断符合率（96．1％）显著高于经腹部彩超检查诊断符合率（73．1％）（P〈0．05）。从声像图可以将其分为三型,分别为孕囊型、不均质包快型和混合型。其声像图有各自独特的表现,主要区别在于子宫前壁的下段的表现,及周围血流信号的不同。结论：与经腹壁超声相比,经阴道彩超避免了腹部器官的影响,做到无创,快捷,方便,对子宫瘢痕处早期妊娠的诊断有较高的应用价值,值得推广应用。