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It remains unknown whether human papillomaviruses (HPVs) or human herpesviruses (HHVs) in semen affect sperm DNA integrity. We investigated whether the presence of these viruses in semen was associated with an elevated sperm DNA fragmentation index. Semen from 76 sperm donors was examined by a PCR-based hybridization array that identifies all HHVs and 35 of the most common HPVs. Sperm DNA integrit

Due to variation in pH, ionizable pharmaceuticals entering aquatic environments experience different degrees of ionization, which may affect toxicity. Using data from toxicity testing at only neutral pH may potentially under- or overestimate actual toxicity at pH ranges found in natural aquatic environments. Here we show relative pH-dependent acute toxicity to Daphnia magna for the pharmaceutical

Many universities have experienced an increase in the intake of students and at the same time cuts in the budgets for teaching. Many teachers have experienced, for a number of reasons, they have to adjust their teaching or a course with short notice. These facts pose a challenge to the teachers agility in adapting to changes - and in doing it in a cost efficient way. We propose eXtreme Teaching a

The potential of measuring temperature and multiple species concentrations (N-2, O-2, CO) by use of combined vibrational coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) and pure rotational CARS has been investigated. This was achieved with only one Nd:YAG laser and one dye laser together with a single spectrograph and CCD camera. From measurements in premixed sooting C2H4-air flames it was possible

Decomposition of unpolluted Scots pine needle litter was studied in two heavy-metal-pollution gradients in Sweden; one near a brass mill and the other around a primary smelter. In the latter area locally collected polluted Scots pine needle litter was also incubated. Decomposition rates were strongly influenced by the metal pollution and a decrease in the rate of mass-loss occurred. In the brass-m

A commercially available gas analyser was used to measure tension of oxygen (PO2) and carbon dioxide (PCO2) in synovial fluid samples after tonometry. Measured values of PCO2 were close to the expected (median difference 0.2 kPa, range -0.4 to 0.4) within the analysed concentration range of 4-10 kPa. No consistent difference between measured and expected values of PO2 were found for oxygen in the

Simple finite elements for an aerosol deposition model embryo are presented. The model is derived by studying concentration changes due to effects of relative humidity (rh), gravitational settling and eddy transport. Its uses a discretisation of particle size distributions and it eventually leads to a system of coupled Euler equations. This is solved by iterative use of the Finite Element method a

Enterococcus faecalis cells cannot synthesize porphyrins and do not rely on heme for growth but can take up heme and use it to synthesize heme proteins. We recently described a cytochrome bd in E. faecalis strain V583 and here report the identification of a chromosomal gene, katA, encoding a heme-containing cytoplasmic catalase. The 54-kDa KatA polypeptide shows sequence similarity to members of t

The knowledge regarding putative inflammatory component(s) participating in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VAD) is scarce. Recently, we have demonstrated the presence of certain inflammatory cytokines in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of demented patients. Although the initial event(s) triggering the neurodegenerative processes in AD versus VAD may be different and lead to differen

This study represents the first systematic investigation of long-term anhydrobiotic survival in tardigrades, rotifers and nematodes inhabiting mosses and lichens. Sixty-three different samples from public and private collections, kept dry for 9-138 years, were examined. Rotifers of the genus Mniohia and the eutardigrade Ramazzottius oberhaeuseri (hatched from eggs) were found alive from one of the

Steam treatment of an industrial process stream, denoted starch-free wheat fiber, was investigated to improve the formation of monomeric sugars in subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis for further bioconversion into ethanol. The solid fraction in the process stream, derived from a combined starch and ethanol factory, was rich in arabinose (21.1%), xylose (30.1%), and glucose (18.6%), in the form of poly

Angiotensin II ( Ang II) is the major vasoactive component of the renin- angiotensin system. Several components of the renin- angiotensin system have been demonstrated in different tissues. Whereas the roles of tissue and renal renin- angiotensin system have been studied in detail, much less is known on whether the corpuscular elements of circulating blood contribute to Ang II production. Here we

Epithelial tumour karyotypes are often difficult to study by standard cytogenetic methods because of poor chromosome preparation quality and the high complexity of their genomic rearrangements. Subtelomeric fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) has proved to be a useful method for detecting cryptic constitutional chromosomal rearrangements but little is known about its usefulness for tumour cy

An increase in the concentration of riverine dissolved organic matter (DOM) has been observed during the last decades, and this material can stimulate marine plankton in coastal waters with significant freshwater input. We studied the effect of two size fractions of riverine high molecular weight dissolved organic matter (HMW DOM), isolated with tangential ultrafiltration, on the harmful dinoflage